IP Library Granted Patent US 7,886,029
Granted Patent B2
US 7,886,029 · App. 11/853,463 · Granted Feb 8, 2011

Remote test station configuration

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,886,029
App. No.
11/853,463
Granted
Feb 8, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An online test platform facilitates the configuration, development, delivery, and management of educational tests with interactive participation by students, teachers, proctors, and administrators even when some or all of them are remotely located. The platform may include an installation protocol to configure a computing facility and prevent other applications from executing during an exam, administrator interfaces, test proctor interfaces, and test taker (e.g. student) interfaces to allow each participant to view, navigate, and interact with aspects of the online test platform that are intended to meet their needs.

Claims (36)

1. A method of configuration of a remote testing station, comprising:

verifying that a computing facility has a correct configuration in order to communicate with an online educational testing platform;

initiating an installation protocol on the computing facility to enable the computing facility to communicate with the online educational testing platform upon verification that the computing facility lacks the correct configuration; and

preventing applications other than an educational testing application to be operable during an educational test session.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying the correct configuration includes using the computer facility to login to the online educational testing platform.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verification is done in association with a server.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verification is done from a location that is remote to the computing facility.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the correct configuration is a software configuration that permits the educational test session to successfully run on the computing facility.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the correct configuration is a hardware configuration that permits the educational test session to successfully run on the computing facility.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the correct configuration is a network connection that is sufficient to transmit educational test information between the online educational testing platform and the computing facility.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installation protocol includes transferring educational software from a server to the computing facility for installation.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installation protocol includes deactivating a software program on the computing facility.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installation protocol includes determining the hardware configuration of the computing facility.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing, to a first server, a test session communication;

determining that that test session communication has been interrupted;

reestablishing, to a second server, the test session communication; and

switching the test session communication back over to the first server.

12. A system for configuration of a remote educational testing station, comprising:

an online educational testing platform;

a computing facility for verifying that the educational computing facility has a correct configuration in order to communicate with the online testing platform and for preventing applications other than an educational testing application to be operable during a test session; and

an install protocol in association with the computing facility for enabling the computing facility to communicate with the online educational testing platform upon verification that the computing facility lacks the correct configuration.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein verifying the correct configuration includes using the computer facility to login to the online educational testing platform.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the verification is done in association with a server.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the verification is done from a location that is remote to the computing facility.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the correct configuration is a software configuration that permits an educational testing session to successfully run on the computing facility.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the correct configuration is a hardware configuration that permits an educational testing session to successfully run on the computing facility.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the correct configuration is a network connection that is sufficient to transmit educational test information between the online educational testing platform and the computing facility.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the installation protocol includes transferring educational software from a server to the computing facility for installation.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the installation protocol includes deactivating a software program on the computing facility.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the installation protocol includes determining the hardware configuration of the computing facility.

22. The system of claim 12 , wherein the computing facility is further for:

establishing, to a first server, a test session communication;

determining that that test session communication has been interrupted;

reestablishing, to a second server, the test session communication; and

switching the test session communication back over to the first server.

Assignments (15)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 5, 2024
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
To: HMH EDUCATION COMPANY
Reel/Frame 068313/0058 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 2, 2023
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063514/0823 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHERS INC.; HMH PUBLISHERS LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY; GREENWOOD PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 059545/0302 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHERS INC.; HMH PUBLISHERS LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY; GREENWOOD PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 059545/0500 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHERS INC.; HMH PUBLISHERS LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY; GREENWOOD PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 059545/0542 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 7, 2022
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059598/0547 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 7, 2022
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059630/0765 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (REVOLVING) Recorded Dec 4, 2019
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHERS INC.; HMH PUBLISHERS LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY; GREENWOOD PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 051186/0250 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM) Recorded Dec 4, 2019
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHERS INC.; HMH PUBLISHERS LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY; GREENWOOD PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 051186/0271 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (SENIOR) Recorded Dec 4, 2019
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHERS INC.; HMH PUBLISHERS LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY; GREENWOOD PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 051186/0284 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 20, 2012
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 028604/0365 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 19, 2012
From: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 028603/0916 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN AND LIEN ON PATENTS Recorded Jul 10, 2012
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: COGNITIVE CONCEPTS, INC.; THE RIVERSIDE PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028542/0420 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2011
From: COGNITIVE CONCEPTS, INC.; THE RIVERSIDE PUBLISHING COMPANY; HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NA, AS TRUSTEE AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 026417/0459 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2008
From: ROGERS, TIMOTHY A.; BOSKO, JOHN; O'BRIEN, COREY S.; MUTUM, RAGHUBIR S.
To: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT PUBLISHING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 021086/0666 →