Computer network-based, interactive, multimedia learning system and process

#1. Technical Field

#The invention is related to on-line, network-based learning systems, and more particularly to a system and process for providing a distributed, interactive, multimedia lecture that employs high quality, low latency audio/video links over a multicast network (such as Internet2), an interactive slideshow that allows annotations to be added by both the presenter and lecture participants, a question management feature that allows participants to submit questions and receive answers during the lecture or afterwards, and a complete archiving of the data streams and metadata associated with the foregoing features.

#2. Background

#The specific features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

#FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting a general purpose computing device constituting an exemplary system for implementing the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of a typical presenter's site in accordance with the present learning system.

#In the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

#In general the present invention pertains to on-line, network-based learning systems, and more particularly, to an interactive multi-media lecturing system and process, and its associated user interfaces. Current learning systems designed for connecting people at different locations in a distributed lecture on a public computer network (such as the Internet) are troublesome because of bandwidth constraints, and overall inadequate tools for simultaneous voice, text, video, and graphic communication. The present learning system and process resolves these problems to provide high quality, low latency audio/video links over a multicast network (such as Internet2), an interactive slideshow that allows annotations to be added by both the presenter and lecture participants, a question management feature that allows participants to submit questions and receive answers during the lecture or afterwards, and a complete archiving of the data streams and metadata associated with the foregoing features. It is noted that throughout the following description of the present learning system and process, any reference to a computer network or the Internet assumes a multicast network such as the Internet2 or an intranet having similar capabilities is being employed.

#One use of the present system is in educational settings where a presenter (e.g., teacher or professor) gives a lecture and local or remote students observe with audio/video and/or slideshows. Another use is in a business setting where the presenter (e.g., instructor) gives a business presentation and local or remote audience members observe with audio/video and/or sideshows. Thus, in general the present learning system and process involves the presenter delivering an educational or business-oriented presentation through the use of video, audio and a slideshow, among other things, to individuals or groups of individuals located at the presenter's location and one or more remote locations. When the presentation is provided to a group of people at a particular site, including the presenter's site, it is envisioned that there will be one or more display screens for presenting the video portion of the presentation and one or more screens for presenting the slideshow portion of the presentation. The nature of these display screens will be discussed in more detail in connection with a description of the hardware configuration of the learning system. The views that the audience sees for both the video and slideshow portions of the presentation are quite unique in themselves. The view associated with the video portion is referred to as the presence window and the window associated with the slideshow is referred to as the workspace window. These will be described in the sections to follow as well.