Education and demonstration – Science
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-15
2001-07-17
Cheng, Joe H. (Department: 3713)
Education and demonstration
Science
C434S118000, C434S350000, C434S362000, C434S365000, C703S002000, C703S011000, C702S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261103
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to computer apparatus and methods for laboratory experimentation. More particularly, the invention is directed to a computer system and related methods for enabling interested persons to perform laboratory experiments and to access information from locations remote from an experimentation laboratory.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Distance learning refers to an educational system wherein students can access course materials from remote locations. Virtually all distance learning systems involve some type of classroom delivery technique. By way of example, prior art systems include such approaches as mail order courses, remotely broadcast lectures, video-taped courses, video conferencing and internet-based on-line courses. One deficiency of these prior approaches is that they require students to progress sequentially through the course material. In other words, students participating in a class from remote locations are not able to select the order in which course materials are presented. Another drawback of prior systems is that they require instructors to present materials in a predefined fixed format.
Additionally, some courses include a laboratory component as an important part of the curriculum. Traditionally, laboratory courses require students to perform experiments, acquire data from the experiments and analyze the acquired data. Prior art approaches address laboratory components in a variety of ways. By way of example, one prior art approach provides remotely located students with laboratory kits, so that they can perform requisite experiments at their respective remote sites. Although, laboratory kits provide a way of performing some relatively elementary experiments, they suffer from significant drawbacks. One such drawback is that kits can be expensive to fabricate and ship; especially where a multitude of students and experiments are involved. Another drawback is that advanced experiments may require expensive analysis equipment. Cost prohibits such equipment from being included in a kit, and some remotely located students may not have access to laboratories possessing the necessary equipment.
Another prior approach employs laboratory simulation software. Laboratory simulation software attempts to replicate experiments, and provides the type of data that a student might acquire from an actual experiment. An advantage of simulation software is that it is relatively inexpensive, as compared with laboratory kits. However, a drawback of simulation software is that the experience provided to a student is only as good or complete as the software employed. Additionally, no matter how complete the simulation, students nevertheless do not experience the full spectrum of nuances that typically occur in a genuine laboratory environment.
On occasion, scientists who are remotely located with respect to each other desire to take part in joint experiments. Those scientists experience challenges similar to those experienced by remotely located students. As in the case of students, prior systems fail to enable a plurality of remotely located scientists to collect, analyze and effect experimental data in real-time with respect to the conduct of the experiment. Typically, laboratory kits are not sophisticated enough to address these and like needs of scientists, and simulations do not provide actual data for the specific experiment of interest.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a computer system that enables persons, remotely located with respect to each other, to engage in joint laboratory experiments.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer system that enables persons, remotely located with respect to a laboratory, to engage in joint laboratory experiments.
A further object of the invention is to provide a computer system that enables students to learn in a self-directed manner with respect to other students participating in a particular course of study.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a computer system that enables instructors to draw from a library of course materials and tailor the presentation of those materials.
Another object of the invention is to provide a computer system that enables students, remotely located with respect to each other, to have a more realistic laboratory experience.
A further object of the invention is to provide a computer system that enables people to acquire data in real-time from experiments performed in a laboratory remotely located from them.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent in the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention attains the foregoing objects by providing a computer system that enables people, remotely located with respect to a laboratory and/or each other, to collect and to analyze data developed in an experiment performed at that laboratory. According to one embodiment, the invention provides a system for teaching laboratory-based sciences. The system can include a data acquisition module, a data transmission module, an internet-based coursework database, internet-based analysis software tools, internet-based intervention software tools, and internet-based interactive software tools.
Using the interactive software tools, an instructor can design an academic course by selecting course materials and related laboratory experiments from the coursework database. The instructor creates an Internet web page, which provides students with an interactive, computer-based, visual interface with the selected course materials and laboratories, along with analysis and intervention tools. Through the web page, students can access course materials and related laboratories in a self-directed manner.
The data acquisition module, preferably located at the site of an experimentation laboratory, interfaces with laboratory equipment to capture data from a selected experiment. The data transmission module transmits the experimental data, in real-time, from the data acquisition module either to an internet-based storage location or to remotely located workstations. Students can analyze the experimental data, preferably by way of the web page, in real-time as the experiment is being performed. Alternatively, students can analyze the stored data at a later time. By using the analysis tools available at the Internet web site, students can formulate conclusions regarding the experimental data.
Students can also access the intervention tools through the Internet web page. In the case where students are analyzing data as an experiment is taking place, the intervention tools enable them to communicate with the laboratory, in real-time, to alter one or more experimental parameters. The transmission module transmits updated experimental data, via the Internet, back to the remotely located students; thereby enabling remotely located students to observe in real-time any effects the selected alterations have on the experimental data.
In a further, optional, embodiment, the computer system includes an internet-based simulation module. In the case where students analyze previously stored experimental data and are not in real-time communication with the laboratory, the simulation module processes the stored data along with the altered parameters and determines the likely effects of the alterations. The simulation module can modify the stored experimental data to reflect the projected effects, and students can view and analyze the modified data. According to a further feature, whether the intervention tools access a simulator module or transmits alterations in real-time to a laboratory is substantially transparent to the students.
According to another, optional, embodiment, the internet-based interactive tools include prompting tools for interrogating students regarding various features of the experimental data. By way of example, if a student is analyzing the data in real-time with respect to when the experiment is taking place and the analysis tools determine that the quality of the data might be questionab
Bredenberg Clifford C.
Dufort Christopher J.
Mitchell William P.
More Ashish
Stephens Philip J.
CB Sciences, Inc.
Cheng Joe H.
Foley Hoag & Eliot LLP
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