US6347333B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Online virtual campus
Assignee: CAPITAL EDUCATION LLC
•
Filing: 1999-06-25
•
Granted: 2002-02-12
•
Expires: 2019-06-25
Abstract
Abstract A Virtual Campus including interactive work plans and administrative resources presented online through a WEB interface. Through the Virtual Campus a learner can communicate with others, create and update an individual work plan, access required resources, store work, and be apprised of Virtual University announcements. While online, learners may create work groups with other learners, use a suite of business tools, interact with a registrar, or open a library data base. In addition, an online Virtual Campus can assess those skills a student has successfully mastered by analyzing progress through the aggregate of course modules completed. Academic and career guidance can be formulated referencing the accumulated detail of the students learning experience. Each software module and element can have a list of skills associated with it. The database of skills can reflect a students capabilities in greater detail than is possible using only a final course grade or grade point average.
Inventors
- 👤 Edwin Eisendrath
- 👤 Andrew M. Rosenfield
- 👤 Enio Ohmaye
- 👤 Patrick Keating
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 11:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G09; G09B; G09B7/00; G09B7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
An online educational campus accessible with a network access device via a computer communications network, the campus comprising: a computer system hosting a network interface; software operative on the computer system and responsive to commands entered via the network access device, the software providing: an interactive work plan associated with a student for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements, said interactive work plan providing said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements, said student entering into said interactive work plan an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and a skills database, said skills database receiving a completion date for which said student completed at least one of said plurality of elements, wherein said student's progress is evaluated by comparing said completion date with said estimated completion date.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
An online educational campus accessible with a network access device via a computer communications network, the campus comprising: a computer system hosting a network interface; software operative on the computer system and responsive to commands entered via the network access device, the software providing: an interactive work plan associated with a student for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements, said interactive work plan providing said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements, said student entering into said interactive work plan an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and a skills database, said skills database receiving a completion date for which said student completed at least one of said plurality of elements, wherein said student's progress is evaluated by comparing said completion date with said estimated completion date.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 wherein the network interface is an interactive markup language document.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 wherein the network adheres to the internet protocol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 additionally comprising software operative with the computer system for providing a bursar function for receiving payment for educational services.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 additionally comprising software operative with the computer system for providing student transcripts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 additionally comprising software operative with the computer system for issuing online educational degrees.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 additionally comprising software operative with the computer system for issuing certificates acknowledging completion of a predetermined set of education modules.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 wherein the skills database is updated in real time tracking the completion of education modules.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 additionally comprising software operative with the computer system for registering for online educational courses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The online educational campus of claim 1 , further comprising a registrar module in communication with said interactive work plan, said registrar module providing said student with academic advice based on contents of said interactive work plan.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of providing university related services to a student via a computer communications network, the method comprising: hosting an interactive network interface on the computer communications network, said interface accessible via a network access device; identifying a student accessing the interface; forming an interactive work plan associated with said student accessing the interface for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements; providing said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements; receiving from said student an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; serving to said student an education module associated with said course in specified in said interactive work plan; storing a completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and assessing said student's progress by comparing said estimated completion date to said completion date.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of providing university related services to a student via a computer communications network, the method comprising: hosting an interactive network interface on the computer communications network, said interface accessible via a network access device; identifying a student accessing the interface; forming an interactive work plan associated with said student accessing the interface for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements; providing said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements; receiving from said student an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; serving to said student an education module associated with said course in specified in said interactive work plan; storing a completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and assessing said student's progress by comparing said estimated completion date to said completion date.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the step of: automatically issuing a degree to the student responsive to the student completing predetermined coursework required for the degree.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the step of: formulating academic guidance referencing the database of the students accumulated skills.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the step of: formulating career guidance referencing the database of the students accumulated skills.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the interactive interface is accessed via a WEB interface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the steps of: displaying a list of available courses descriptions and the cost of each course on the interactive interface; analyzing the interactive work plan corresponding to the student accessing the interface; and advising the student with a progression of available courses wherein the progression is calculated to aid the student accomplish a goal specified in the interactive work plan.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of: providing academic advice based on contents of said interactive work plan.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
151 words
A computer data signal embodied in a digital data stream comprising an online campus, wherein the computer data signal is generated by a method comprising the steps of: hosting an interactive network interface on the computer communications network, said interface accessible via a network access device; identifying a student accessing the interface; forming an interactive work plan associated with said student accessing the interface for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements; providing said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements; receiving from said student an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; serving to said student an education module associated with said course in specified in said interactive work plan; storing a completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and assessing said student's progress by comparing said estimated completion date to said completion date.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
151 words
A computer data signal embodied in a digital data stream comprising an online campus, wherein the computer data signal is generated by a method comprising the steps of: hosting an interactive network interface on the computer communications network, said interface accessible via a network access device; identifying a student accessing the interface; forming an interactive work plan associated with said student accessing the interface for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements; providing said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements; receiving from said student an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; serving to said student an education module associated with said course in specified in said interactive work plan; storing a completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and assessing said student's progress by comparing said estimated completion date to said completion date.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
A computer data signal as in claim 18 wherein the signal is further generated by a method comprising the additional steps of: monitoring progress towards accomplishing goals specified in the interactive work plans; and displaying messages responsive to the progress monitored.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer data signal of claim 18 , wherein the signal is further generated by a method comprising the additional step of: providing academic advice based on contents of said interactive work plan.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
142 words
Computer executable program code residing on a computer-readable medium, the program code comprising instructions for causing the computer to: host an interactive network interface on the computer communications network, said interface accessible via a network access device; identify a student accessing the interface; form an interactive work plan associated with said student accessing the interface for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements; provide said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements; receive from said student an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; serve to said student an education module associated with said course in specified in said interactive work plan; store a completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and assess said student's progress by comparing said estimated completion date to said completion date.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
142 words
Computer executable program code residing on a computer-readable medium, the program code comprising instructions for causing the computer to: host an interactive network interface on the computer communications network, said interface accessible via a network access device; identify a student accessing the interface; form an interactive work plan associated with said student accessing the interface for plotting a course syllabus having a plurality of elements; provide said student with requirements for at least one of said plurality of elements; receive from said student an estimated completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; serve to said student an education module associated with said course in specified in said interactive work plan; store a completion date for at least one of said plurality of elements; and assess said student's progress by comparing said estimated completion date to said completion date.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer executable program of claim 21 wherein the program code additionally causes the computer to: display an interactive listing of available communications vehicles available; and implement a communications session responsive selection of a communication vehicle.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer executable program of claim 21 wherein the computer communications network is a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol network.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer executable program of claim 21 , wherein the program code additionally causes the computer to: provide academic advice based on contents of said interactive work plan.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4820167A
Cited
US5788508A
Cited
US5267865A
Cited
US5441415A
Cited
US6064856A
Cited
US5310349A
Cited
US5544305A
Cited
US5810605A
Cited
US5904485A
Cited
US5710894A
Cited
WO1998022864A1
Cited
US5823788A
Cited
US5727950A
Cited
US5863208A
Cited
US6014134A
Cited
US5974446A
Cited
US6024577A
Cited
US5957699A
Cited
US6029043A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-11 | 2005-08-13 | 2006-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-11 | 2009-08-13 | 2010-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-11 | 2013-08-13 | 2014-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |