Distance learning system providing individual television participation, audio responses and memory for every student

A distance learning teacher control unit used for creating an integrated interactive signal which when transmitted and received at one or more classroom master units will permit one or more subscribers to interact individually with an interactive program and to receive uniquely personalized meaningful instruction messages, as if receiving instruction directly from a private tutor or instructor, comprising:

• means for generating a video signal, wherein the video signal comprises one or more interrogatory messages for eliciting a subscriber response;
• means for creating control data comprising control codes and branching codes, whereby the codes are used for initiating, controlling, and branching between the plurality of audio channels;
• means for providing a plurality of audio channels, the audio channels comprising audio segments, the audio segments being of approximate equal length in time and related in content to each other;
• audio mixing means, operably connected to the providing means, for combining audio channels;
• and
• means, operably connected to the generating means, creating means and audio mixing means, for combining the video signal, control data and plurality of audio channels into the single integrated interactive signal,
• whereby the single integrated interactive signal allows for existing broadcast transmission infrastructure to be used.

A distance learning classroom reception system used by one or more subscribers to receive an integrated interactive program at one or more classroom control units which permits each subscriber to view a video signal on a display monitor and to interact with the interactive program individually and to receive uniquely personalized meaningful instruction responses as if receiving feedback directly from a private tutor or instructor, the system comprising:

• at least one means for receiving an integrated interactive program, wherein the interactive program contains a plurality of audio channels, control data and a video signal, wherein the control data contains branching codes and the interactive program contains one or more interrogatory messages for eliciting subscriber responses;
• at least one classroom master unit, connected to the receiving means, comprising:
• a means for extracting the audio channels, video signal and control data from the interactive program;
• a means, connected to the extracting means, for storing the control data;
• and
• a controller means, connected to the extracting means and the storage means, for reading the control data and controlling operation of the classroom master unit;
• at least one means, connected to the classroom master unit, for gathering, subscriber responses to the interrogatory messages resulting from the presentation of the interactive program, the gathering means comprising:
• means for entering a subscriber response to the interrogatory message;
• means for obtaining the audio channels and the branching codes from the classroom master unit;
• audio selection means, operably connected to the entry means and the obtaining means, for creating a personalized audio response from the plurality of audio channels, comprising:
• means for branching between the plurality of audio channels to form a personalized response, wherein each branch is determined based on the one or more subscriber responses and the branching codes;
• and
• means, connected to the audio selection means, for presenting the personalized voice response to the subscriber, whereby each of the subscribers interacts individually with the interactive program and each subscriber hears an individualized audio feedback response.

A method for offering an integrated interactive signal which when transmitted and received at one or more classroom master units enables each subscriber to interact with the interactive program individually and to receive uniquely personalized meaningful instruction messages, the method comprising the steps of:

• creating a single interactive signal comprising a plurality of audio channels, control data and a video signal, wherein the video signal contains one or more interrogatory messages with subscriber selectable options and the control data contains branching codes;
• transmitting the single interactive signal to at least one receive site location;
• distributing the single interactive signal to a at least one classroom master unit, each master unit;
• receiving the single interactive video;
• extracting the audio channels and control data from the single interactive video signal;
• displaying the video signal on a display monitor;
• gathering subscriber selections to the subscriber selectable options to the interrogatory message displayed on the display monitor;
• branching between the plurality of audio channels to form a personalized response for each subscriber, wherein one or more subscriber selections and the branching codes are used in formulating a personalized audio response;
• and
• presenting the personalized response to the subscriber, whereby each subscriber interacts individually with the interactive program and each subscriber hears a uniquely personalized audio response.

A method for preparing an educational interactive program for transmission in a distance learning system as a single interactive video signal comprising a video signal, plurality of audio channels and control data, to at least one remote classroom location for multiple subscribers, the method comprising the steps of:

• creating at least one graphics slide with interrogatory messages, each interrogatory message including subscriber selectable options;
• recording verbal explanations corresponding to each subscriber selectable option;
• formatting the recorded verbal explanations into a plurality of audio signals;
• creating files comprising the graphics slides, corresponding audio signals and control codes for controlling presentation of the interactive program at the remote site locations;
• storing files in a relational database with pointers establishing the relationship between the graphics and audio signals;
• selecting a see of files for broadcast to remote receiver sites;
• outputting graphics slides to a video mixer;
• transferring audio signals to an audio mixer;
• combining the plurality of audio signals, graphics video slide, and control codes into a single interactive signal;
• and
• transmitting the single interactive signal to remote site locations.

A distance learning classroom reception system used by one or more subscribers to receive a integrated interactive program at one or more classroom control units and view a video signal on a display monitor which permits each subscriber to interact with an interactive program individually and to receive uniquely personalized instruction responses, the system comprising:

• at least one means for receiving an integrated interactive signal, wherein the interactive signal contains a plurality of audio channels, control data and a video signal, wherein the control data contains branching codes and the interactive signal contains one or more interrogatory messages for eliciting subscriber responses;
• at least one means for extracting the audio channels, video signal and control data from the single interactive signal;
• at least one means for entering subscriber responses to the interrogatory messages resulting from the presentation of the interactive program;
• at least one classroom master unit, connected to the extracting means and entry means, comprising:
• a means for storing the control data;
• a means for gathering the subscriber responses from the entry means;
• a controller means, connected to the extracting means and the storage means, for reading the control data and controlling operation of the classroom master unit;
• audio selection means, operably connected to the first storage means and the gathering means, for creating a personalized audio response from the plurality of audio channels, comprising:
• means for branching between the plurality of audio channels to form a personalized response, wherein each branch is determined based on the one or more subscriber responses and the branching codes;
• and
• at least one means, connected to the classroom master unit, for presenting the personalized voice response to each subscriber, whereby each subscriber interacts individually with the interactive program and each subscriber hears an individualized audio feedback response in real time.

An interactive classroom presentation system permitting students to individually interact with an interactive program by responding to subscriber selectable entry options, preferably presented as part of a video signal displayed on a monitor, and to receive personalized instruction responses, the system comprising:

• at least one control unit, comprising:
• at least one means for receiving the interactive program, wherein the interactive program contains a plurality of audio channels, branching codes and a video signal, wherein the interactive program contains subscriber selectable entry options;
• and
• at least one means, in communications with the control unit, for gathering subscriber responses to the subscriber selectable entry options, each gathering means comprising:
• a means for obtaining the audio channels and the branching codes from the interactive program;
• and
• audio selection means, operably connected to the obtaining means, for creating a personalized audio response by branching between the plurality of audio channels using one or more subscriber responses and branching codes;
• and
• a means for presenting the selected personalized audio response to the subscriber.

An interactive classroom presentation system permitting students to individually interact with an interactive program by responding to subscriber selectable entry options, preferably presented as part of a video signal displayed on a monitor, and to receive personalized instruction explanatory responses, the system comprising:

• at least one means for gathering subscriber responses to subscriber questions, wherein the subscriber questions are presented as part of the interactive program;
• at least one control unit, connected to the gathering means, comprising:
• at least one means for receiving the interactive program, wherein the interactive program contains a plurality of audio channels, branching codes and a video signal;
• and
• audio selection means, operably connected to the receiving means and the gathering means, for creating a personalized audio response by branching between the plurality of audio channels using one or more of the subscriber response and the branching codes;
• and
• a means for presenting the selected personalized audio response to the subscriber.

An interactive classroom presentation system permitting students to individually interact with a prerecorded interactive program by responding to subscriber selectable entry options, preferably presented as part of a video signal displayed on a monitor, and to receive personalized instruction responses, the system comprising:

• at least one control unit, comprising:
• at least one means for playing the pre-recorded interactive program, wherein the interactive program contains a plurality of audio channels, branching codes and a video signal, wherein the interactive program contains subscriber selectable entry options;
• and
• a means, connected to the playing means, for separately extracting each of the audio channels and the branching codes from the prerecorded interactive program;
• at least one means, in communications with the control unit, for receiving subscriber responses to the subscriber selectable entry options, each receiving means comprising:
• a means for decoding the branching codes from the prerecorded interactive program;
• and
• audio selection means, operably connected to the extracting means, for creating a personalized audio response by branching between the plurality of audio channels using one or more subscriber responses and the branching codes;
• and
• a means for presenting the selected personalized audio response to the subscriber.

An interactive classroom presentation system permitting students to individually interact with a prerecorded interactive program by responding to subscriber selectable entry options and to receive personalized instruction responses, the system comprising:

• at least one means for gathering subscriber responses to subscriber questions, wherein the subscriber questions are presented as part of the prerecorded interactive program;
• at least one control unit, connected to the gathering means, comprising:
• at least one means for playing the prerecorded interactive program, wherein the prerecorded interactive program contains a plurality of audio channels, branching codes and a video signal;
• a means, connected to the playing means, for separately extracting each of the audio channels and the branching codes from the prerecorded interactive program;
• and
• audio selection means, operably connected to the receiving means and the gathering means, for creating a personalized audio response by branching between the plurality of audio channels using one or more of the subscriber response and the branching codes;
• at least one means, connected to the control unit, for displaying the video signal;
• and
• a means for presenting the selected personalized audio response to the subscriber.

A subscriber unit, in communications with a classroom master unit, to be used as part of an interactive distance learning system providing individualized audio response explanations, whereby each subscriber interacts with an interactive program by responding to subscriber selectable entry options preferably presented as part of a video signal displayed on a monitor, the subscriber unit comprising:

• means for entering a subscriber response to the subscriber selectable entry options;
• means for receiving a plurality of audio signals and branching codes;
• audio selection means, operably connected to the receiving means and the entry means, for creating a personalized audio response by branching between the plurality of audio channels using one or more of the subscriber responses and branching codes;
• and
• a means for presenting the selected personalized audio response to the subscriber.

A distance learning system classroom master unit that receives an interactive program, wherein the interactive program contains a plurality of audio channels and control data embedded into a video signal, permitting students to individually interact with the interactive program by responding to subscriber selectable entry options and to receive personalized instruction responses, the system comprising:

• a means for separately extracting each of the audio channels and the branching codes from the interactive video signal;
• a means for receiving a plurality of subscriber responses to the subscriber selectable entry options;
• audio selection means, operably connected to the extracting means and the gathering means, for creating a personalized audio response by branching between the plurality of audio channels using one or more of the subscriber response and the branching codes;
• and
• a means for presenting an individualized selected personalized audio response to each subscriber.