Remote communication apparatus

Abstract

A remote learning system combines on-line service information and remote user information with a television signal designed to be received by students using multimedia personal computers. The combined signal is then transmitted to all of the students at their personal computers. At each personal computer, the received signal is separated into its component parts by a VBI modem for display or control on / of the personal computers. Each personal computer is capable of communicating back to a main server over a network such as a public telephone network. A broadcasting facility integrates the information transmitted over the network from a single student with the television signal.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention describes a system which permits an instructor to teach one or more students at a site remote from the instructor. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Instruction of students located in the same physical classroom as the instructor is an effective method of teaching because it allows a student to ask questions to both the instructor and the rest of her classmates. The instructor can give an immediate answer to the students, and can spontaneously ask additional questions of the students as the lecture progresses. In short, the instructor and the students can easily interact with each other concerning the topic of the lecture. [0005] However, it is often necessary or desirable to teach students who for some reason are not able to meet in the same physical classroom. For example, students or instructors located at disparate physical locations may not be able to meet in one location or ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to address the limitations of the prior art remote learning systems. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a remote educational system that provides a visual and, when appropriate, audio presentation, for students, including, for example, pictures of the instructor while allowing the students to easily interact with the instructor and with each other.

[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a remote educational system that is low in cost for the student, both in terms of the initial hardware and software required and in the day-to-day operation.

Problems solved by technology

For example, students or instructors located at disparate physical locations may not be able to meet in one location or the number of students may be so large as to preclude fitting comfortably into one classroom.

This approach to remote learning has significant limitations caused by a need for (1) a constant telephone connection to the teaching site; (2) video segments for each session; and (3) a prepared video tape that must be distributed to each student before the lesson begins.

Each of these requirements for a conventional remote learning system has associated costs, the most significant of which may be the telephone connection that must be connected for the complete lesson.

This approach is initially advantageous because the setup cost is low; once in use, however, the phone connect time charges can be prohibitively expensive.

Additionally, it is presently difficult to send video signals with the limited bandwidth available with today's telephone lines and modems.

Further, proposals to use wide bandwidth telephone lines for such video transmission will increase further the costs required to use such proposed systems.

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