WO2012042529A1

WO2012042529A1 - A system for creating electronic, virtual classroom for education, requiring no internet

Info

Publication number: WO2012042529A1
Application number: PCT/IN2011/000564
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gautam Vijay Udani
Original assignee: Sundaram Edusys Private Limited
Priority date: 2010-10-01
Filing date: 2011-08-23
Publication date: 2012-04-05

Abstract

A system for creating electronic, virtual classroom for education, requiring no internet The system is a compact device for setting a virtual classroom for school students, covering all subjects in conformity to curriculum set by statutory authorities. It is simple to operate, requiring a home television or a projector screen. It is comprised of an electronic, saucer- shaped box, running on D.C. electrical input, a flash drive, storing encrypted index file and video files, a home television, a video cable and a customized remote. User accesses the electronic class material by logging on - using a registration number - with the system during 12-months validity. The system covers all subjects in all Indian languages.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION:

A system for creating electronic, virtual classroom for education, requiring no internet

FI ELD OF THE INV ENTION

The present work relates to the field of electronic education. It more

particularly relates to the field of imparting education in a virtual classroom without the use of internet and personal computers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A search of prior works in the field has brought following works, which are different from the present invention and lack in the advanced features the present system offers. These are:

US Patent Application No. 1 1/949,313 - This prior work discloses interactive graphics and a virtual environment of an educational institution. The present work is different from the prior work in terms of non-reliance upon internet and the use of e- running an operating system.

US Patent Application No. 10/568,973 - This prior work relates to a virtual electronic teaching class, that relies upon a telecommunication network. It is different from the present invention, for the latter does not involve use of any network. US Patent No. 6,988,138 - This work describes an e-class, which entails the use of internet network, whereas the present invention does away with the reliance upon a network.

US Patent No. 5850250 - This prior work describes a video distance learning classroom, requiring use of video cameras and monitors and video camera controllers. The present invention relies upon none of the elements of the prior work.

US Patent 6,155,840 This prior work relates distributed learning, using network and a couple of learning servers. It is substantially different from the present invention, which has an e-box containing an operating system.-. US Patent No. 6,381 ,444 The prior work describes setting up a virtual class by means of a computer network. It is substantially different from the present invention, which does away with use of external networks.

US Patent Application No. 2007/0048719 The prior work describes setting up a virtual classroom by means of a server and a DVD disc. Media objects prepared by teacher are stored and later accessed by students. The teacher controls students' terminals. The present invention possesses none of the features of the prior work, the latter having an e-box, containing an operating system.

U.S. Patent Application No. 10/61 1,064 The prior work describes interaction between teacher and students by means of a server, use of internet, students' stations with monitors and teacher's monitor. It does not have the elements of the present work.

U.S. Patent Application No. 11/409,465 The prior work relies upon a communication network, a server and a personal computer f rsynchronous communication for distance learning. It is substantially di fferent from the present invention. U.S. Patent Application No. 11/730,561 The prior art describes a portal-centred learning method, which is comprised of several nodes for the working of learning centre. It is substantially different from the present invention.

U.S. Patent Application No. 09/608,208 The prior work relies upon a network for exchange between students and a teacher. It is different from the present invention. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION :

It is an object of this invention to provide electronic education in a virtual class without use of internet and personal computers.

Another object of this invention is to devise a simple, user-friendly system that is economical, affordable and requires no computer level skills for operation and maintenance.

Another object of this invention is to devise a tamper-proof security to contents stored in the system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention successfully meets the stated objects with a system (1000), which is capable of creating electronic, virtual classroom for education and is comprised of the following elements:

( a) a saucer-shaped electronic box (50) (e-box). having a circular, centrally-located trough ( 5 1 ) in upper portion thereof, one inlet port ( 53- 1 ) for SD card (60), another inlet port (53-2) for a customized flash drive (70) and one outlet port (53-3) in the lower half portion thereof, said electronic box (50) being comprised of five navigation keys (52- 1 , 52-2, 52-3, 52-4, 52-5), an infra-red interface (54) and an encrypted

operating system (61 ) for running a core application (62);

(b) the customized flash drive (70) that plugs in said inlet port (53-2) of

said electronic box ( 50 );

(c) a home television (25), operated by a remote (30) and connected by means of a video cable (35) to said electronic box (50) or any hardware device equivalent to ,wid home television (25) and capable of generating a video output.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

Figure // 1 illustrates plan view of the electronic box (50) with the inner, circular

concentric trough (5 1 ).

Figure / 2 il lustrates the front view of the electronic box (50), with two each inlet ports (53- 1 , 53-2) and outlet port (53-3, 53-4). Figure # 3 illustrates the internal assembly layout and working of the electronic box (50). Figure # 4 illustrates flow of the process between said customized flash drive (70) and said electronic box (50).

Figure # 5 illustrates customized remote (30). DETAILED DESCRITION OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention describes a system (100) - as illustrated in the accompanying figure # 1 - for setting up a virtual classroom for higher secondary education in any Indian language, requiring no special space, no additional infrastructure and no skilled manpower. The course material of the system (100) covers all subjects in accordance with curriculum set by statutory authorities.

The system (100) is easy to set and to operate with minimal time requirement. It is capable of running on home television or a projector or a laptop, requiring a DC 5 volts electrical input through an A.C./ D.C. adaptor.

Hardware Requirement: The system (100) is built around an electronic box (50), also called e-box, a customized pen drive (70), both described in details below, and a home television (25) or any equivalent thereto and a customized remote (30), as illustrated in accompanying figure # 5.

The e-box (50) is media player, running on electrical D.C. power supply 5V, 1 A current, through an A.C./D.C. adaptor. It is a portable device, saucer-shaped in appearance, having a central, concentric trough (51) that displays five navigational keys (52-1, 52-2, 52-3, 52-4, 52-5) upon the system (100) being activated. The e-box (50), housing the trough (51) in the upper-half portion of its saucer - shaped body, has two inlet ports (53-1, 53-2) for plugging in SD card (60) and the customized flash drive (70) respectively. It has one outlets port (53- 3), adjacent to the inlet ports (53-1, 53-2), all four ports being housed in the truncated, lower portion of the e-box (50) such that the upper portion of the e-box (50) serves as a protective umbrella to the three ports (53-1, 53-2, 53-3).. The ports (53-1, 53-2, 53-3) offer easy access to the user (10), as illustrated in the accompanying figure # 2.

The lower portion of the e-box (50) houses an encrypted operating system (61) and a core application (62) that runs the system (100). An elliptical, infra-red window (54) is provided at the junction of the upper and lower portions of the e-box (50) in position that is diagonally opposite to the three ports (53-1, 53-2, 53-3). The user (10), facing the infra-red window (54), accesses the material contents of the e-class. The electronic box (50) is used in tandem with the customized flash drive (70) that plugs in the inlet port (53-2) of the electronic box (50). The customized flash drive

(70) uses a controller (72) embedded in the flash drive (70) to store the encryption

algorithms for the flash drive (70) and the software of the system (100). Both the hardware and the software of the system (100) are secured with the customized encryption. The corresponding controller (72-A) is stored in the electronic box (50) to decrypt the encryption algorithms of the controller (72). The customized flash drive (70) is read-only and is protected against all virus and Trojan attacks. The contents stored in the customized flash drive (pen drive) (70) are protected using a double layer of protection - hardware encryption and software encryption. The hardware involves a specially designed controller (72), embedded on the flash of the customized pen drive (70), containing customized encryption algorithms, which are decrypted by means of a corresponding controller (72-A), loaded in the electronic box (50). Similarly the contents relating to education material is processed by another proprietary algorithm which ensures highest level of security.

The customized flash drive (70) stores encrypted index file (71) and the encrypted video and animation contents of the course material. The system (100) supports video files, images and audio files of all types of format, thereby eliminating need for file format conversion. The electronic box (50) stores customized operating system (61) and a core application (62) that runs the system (100). The file system used for storing the contents in the customized flash drive (70) is specifically designed to ensure highest level of safety.

The accompanying figure # 3 illustrates the working process for the system (100), as taking place within the electronic box (50), when operated in tandem with the customized flash drive (70).

Technical Specifications:

Interfaces: Output - AV, YPbPr

Input - SDCard (60) connector and for customized flash drive (70)

User interfaces : Five navigation keys (52-1, 52-2, 52-3, 52-4, 52-5) and infra red window

(54) Video formats : RM, RMVB, AVI, MPG, MPEG, VOB, DAT, DIVX, MP4, MJPEG

Codec: MPEG 1/2/4, AVI, XVID, DVIX 3/4/5, RealoOne

Picture Decoding: decodes JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF and other formats,

supports zoom in and zoom out, rotation and transition effects.

Zoom is supported in 2X mode.

Audio decoding: Full RealAudio decoding, Full MPEG audio layers I, II and III

Decodes MP3, WMA, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC audio formats.

The electronic box (50) is capable of performing following functions:

a) It reads the file system on the customized pen drive (70).

b) It decrypts the index file (71).

c) It reads the index file (71).

d) It provides paths for images and the video files according to the core application (62) and creates user interface.

e) It decrypts the video files, stored in the customized flash drive (70).

f) It decodes signals.

f) It provides video output, taken to the home television (25).

Setting e-class:

As illustrated in the accompanying figure # 1, the electronic box (50), the customized flash drive (70) and the home television are inter connected and DC power supply is provided to the electronic box (50) from A.C. main line through

A.C./D.C. adaptor.

The electronic box (50) decks in the index file (71) to check the time validity of the customized flash drive (70) of the user (10) and the registration status. If not registered, the electronic box (50) asks the user (10) to enter four digit pin number in the box provided to register the user (10) for a year's time, commencing from the date of validation of the customized flash drive (70).

Claims

We claim:

A system (100) for creating electronic, virtual classroom for education comprising:

(a) a saucer-shaped electronic box (50) (e-box), having a circular, concentric trough (51) in upper portion thereof, one inlet port (53-1) for SD card (60), another inlet port (53-2) for a customized flash drive (70) and an outlet port (53-3) in the lower half portion thereof, said electronic box (50) being comprised of five navigation keys (52-1, 52-2, 52-3, 52-4, 52-5), an infra-red interface (54) and an encrypted operating system (61) for running a core application (62);

(b) the customized flash drive (70) that plugs in said inlet port (53-2) of said

electronic box (50);

(c) a home television (25) or any hardware device equivalent thereto, operated by a remote (30) and connected by means of a video cable (35) to said electronic box (50), said home television, upon receiving video signals from said electronic box (50), being capable of displaying video on screen thereof.

2. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic box (50) operates in tandem said customized flash drive (70) only.

A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic box (50) runs on a 5V DC electrical power input, provided through an AC/DC adapter (52), plugged into a single-pin socket (53) in lower half portion of said electronic box (50).

4. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, wherein said customized flash drive (70) is plugged into said electronic box (50) through a port (53-2), provided in lower half portion of said electronic box (50).

5. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, 05 wherein output of the system (100) is transmitted by plugging one single-pin

terminal of said video cable (35) into a port (53-3) in lower half portion of said electronic box (50) and the other triple-pin terminal of said video cable (35) into said home television (25).

6. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, 10 wherein said customized flash drive (70) uses (a) algorithms stored locally to encrypt index file (71) and (b) uses one controller (72) embedded in said flash drive (70) for hardware encryption, said controller (72) storing encrypted algorithms for hardware (70) and the index file (71).

7. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, 15 wherein said electronic box (50) stores another corresponding controller (72 A) for decrypting said customized flash drive (70) and said index file (71).

8. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating system (61) decrypts said index file (71) to allow said core application (62) of said electronic box (50) to check registration particulars of one user (10), stored in said

20 index file (71).

9. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claims 1 and 8, wherein said core application (62), upon completing check on registration status of said user (10), checks time validity of said customized flash drive (70), displays said five navigation keys (52-1, 52-2, 52-3, 52-5, 52-5) in inner concentric circular trough (51-1) and 05 activates said infrared interface (54) for said student-user (10).

10. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claims 1 and 8, wherein said core application (62) registers said user (10) by prompting and displaying to said user (10) text 'ENTER YOUR 4-DIGIT PIN CODE IN BOX PROVIDED'.

10 11. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, wherein said core application (62) stored in said electronic box (50) decrypts and decodes video content files ( 73), stored in said customized flash drive (70) to generate video signals (74), sent as input to said home television (25).

12. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 15 1, wherein said core application (62) stored in said electronic box (50) supports said video content files (73) of all types of file formats, requiring no video file format conversion.

13. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, wherein said core application (62) stored in said electronic box (50) decodes audio files having all types of file formats, requiring no audio file format conversion. A system (100) for creating electronic virtual classroom for education as claimed in claim 1, wherein said infra-red interface window (54) on said electronic box (50) is elliptical in shape, is situated at the junction of the lower half and the upper-half portions of said electronic box (50) at a position, diagonally opposite to said three ports (53-1, 53-2, 53-3).