AU2020102908A4

AU2020102908A4 - IOTM- Class Monitoring System: IoT and AI based Monitoring System for Faculty and their Course Materials Availability

Info

Publication number: AU2020102908A4
Application number: AU2020102908A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Shashank Awasthi; Kavita Sharma; Namita Sharma
Original assignee: Awasthi Shashank Dr; Sharma Kavita Dr; Sharma Namita Ms
Current assignee: Awasthi Shashank Dr; Sharma Kavita Dr; Sharma Namita Ms
Priority date: 2020-10-21
Filing date: 2020-10-21
Publication date: 2020-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2028-10-21

Abstract

Our Invention "IOTM- Class Monitoring System" is an image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and also a grid of voxels may then be generated based on the depth image such that the depth image may be down sampled. The invented technology also includes in the grid of voxels may also be removed to isolate one or more voxels associated with a foreground object such as a Teachers, students, director or human target and a location or position of one or more extremities of the isolated human target may be determined and a model may be adjusted based on the location or position of the one or more extremities. The invented technology also online education and the system of the invention includes an educator provider system and at least one student system connected via a network means, such as the Internet, for bidirectional communication there between. The educator provider system is capable of transmitting, and the at least one student system is capable of receiving, at least one lesson for education purposes. The invented technology the lesson is interactive and includes at least one audio file used to control the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student attheatleastonestudentsystem and the educator provider system also includes a mechanism for generating a lesson completion record and/or an electronic certificate of completion after a student has completed the lesson. The lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate may be transmitted to the at least one student system and/or to an education authority system, indicating and providing proof to the student and/or the education authority, respectively, that the student has completed the lesson. The method of the invention, the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student is controlled by playing of the at least one audio file at the at least one student system and in another embodiment of the method of the present invention, the lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate of completion is transmitted by the educator provider system and received by the student system at which the student completed the lesson and/or the education authority that has an interest in completion of the lesson by the student. By the use of the system and method of the invention, an education authority can be assured that a student attends the online lesson for the requisite minimum time period, and that the student satisfactorily completes the lesson. 26 INPUTo FIG.l1A: ISAN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT OF ATARGET RECOGNITION, ANALYSIS, AND TRACKING SYSTEM WITH A USER TEACHING, STUDY, PLAYING AGAME.

Description

INPUTo

FIG.l1A: ISAN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT OF ATARGET RECOGNITION, ANALYSIS, AND TRACKING SYSTEM WITH A USER TEACHING, STUDY, PLAYING AGAME.

IOTM- Class Monitoring System: loT and Al based Monitoring System for Faculty and their Course Materials Availability

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention"IOTM- Class Monitoring System" is related toloT and Al based Monitoring System for Faculty and their Course Materials Availability and also relates to a system and method for education, and, in particular to an online education system and method for use over a network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many computing applications such as computer games, multimedia applications, or the like use controls to allow users to manipulate game characters or other aspects of an application. Typically, such controls are input using, for example, controllers, remotes, keyboards, mice, or the like. Unfortunately, such controls can be difficult to learn, thus creating a barrier between a user and such games and applications. Furthermore, such controls may be different than actual game actions or other application actions for which the controls are used. For example, a game control that causes a game character to swing a baseball bat may not correspond to an actual motion of swinging the baseball bat.

Computerized learning technologies have been evolving and gaining popularity over the last several decades. Generally, computer learning devices and techniques developed in step with the development of computer and related technology. Consider, for example, the system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,453, Spiece. This system is a stand-alone computer that presents prerecorded lessons to the student, and allows the student to take tests using the computer. The application for the Spiece patent was filed in 1983, a time in which personal computers were relatively new to the world, and in which video discs were used to present movies and the like. Hence, Spiece uses video discs and a personal computer in its education system.

As telecommunications technology developed, more interactive learning systems began to develop to permit lecturers to present lessons and/or materials to students located in remote locations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,957, Young, for example, allows a presenter at one location to control the presentation to students at remote locations. The control is achieved by the use of control signals sent over communications lines. Other "live" interactive education systems include those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,472, Shapiro; U.S. Pat.No. 5,295,836, Ryu et al.; U.S. Pat.No. 5,303,042, Lewis et al.; and U.S. Pat.No. ,823,788, Lemelson et al.

With the availability of the Internet, many "distance learning" systems have been put into place, and distance learning may, in fact, be one of the fastest growing applications of communications technology. Many educational institutions, including but not limited to colleges and universities, are instituting learning programs over the Internet. Internet training can be made available to students at any time in any location. Students no longer need to travel to specific classroom sites. Thus, the cost of delivery of such online education systems is significantly less than the cost of traditional classroom education. A teaching institution no longer needs a building to house the classroom. If teachers are required, they need only make their lecture once, and that lecture can be recorded, stored, and used over and over again, if appropriate. Materials can be developed for use with a course that are used over and over again. In fact, it may be easier to continue to improve the "class" in an online application due to the fact that the class can be reviewed by appropriate authorities, measurements can be put into place to test the effectiveness of the class, and consistency is easier to achieve due to the use of electronic means.

Various governments have recognized the importance of distance learning in continuing to educate their citizens. The Congress of the United States, for example, formed a Web based Education Commission to evaluate and make recommendations about education over the Internet. The Commission stated, "The question is no longer if the Internet can be used to transform learning in new and powerful ways. The Commission has found that it can . . Nor is the question, 'Should we invest the time, the energy and the money defining and shaping new learning opportunity?' The commission believes we should." Panel urges expansion of online education, "The Indianapolis Star", Dec. 20, 2000, page A7. The Commission asked for increased federal research in online education to determine the best use of computers in learning, and asked that there be "changes in federal regulations that limit financial aid for students who take college courses over the Web. A growing number of students, particularly older, nontraditional ones, are taking courses online." Id.

One of the challenges in delivery of training via the Internet is to insure delivery of the content in the context of a certain time frame. In other words, how does the educator insure that the student has proceeded through the course without skipping or skimming the content presented? How does the educator ensure that the student attended the course for the requisite time? Formal education and many industries require that students log a certain number of hours of training to be considered to have completed the course, or to be certified or licensed to practice. In a traditional classroom setting, for example, the student must attend a specified number of class hours. If the student misses too many hours of class, they may have to withdraw from the course or receive an "incomplete grade", for example.

One of the growing areas of education relates to continuing professional education. Forty six states have requirements for continuing education of their teachers. Id. States have requirements that lawyers, accountants, and other professionals continue to take courses to continue to be admitted to practice his/her profession in that state. Many states require certified child care providers to have a certain number of qualified personnel on their staff, with the qualification for such personnel including a specified number of hours of initial and/or continuing education, also referred to as pre-service and/or in-service training, respectively. While the requirements regarding type of education, the type of courses, the number of hours of training, and the base time for completing the specified number of hours may vary across states and for different professions or occupations, key to most continuing education requirements is the need to "attend" classes, often for a specified number of hours.

Because it is difficult to ensure that a student has "attended" remote education class, many states or regulatory authorities have not permitted training by remote sources to qualify for satisfaction of the requirements for initial and/or continuing education classes. Instead, students are often only permitted to audit a course provided online without the grant of credit for the course. An educator wants to make certain that a student earns his/her grades by completing a required minimum time attendance (minimum number of hours). Thus, it is desired to provide an online education system and method which ensures that the student "attended" the class for a desired time. Such a system and method would result in more accurate teaching of student outcomes for the course, greater confidence in the integrity of the course, and the educator being willing to accept a certificate of completion or the course meeting requriements, and subsequently granting course credit.

The immediacy of the Internet gives rise to another issue. It is not uncommon for a student to procrastinate in completing a course. Thus, if a student is required to take continuing professional education courses during a certain base time period, the student may wait to the last possible moment within that base time period to take the course. For example, if child care providers are required to complete a certain number of continuing education credits before the end of the calendar year, it is not uncommon for a student to wait until late December to fulfill those obligations. Because the credits are often necessary for certification, continued employment, and continued operation of the child care center, it is important that the completion of the course(s) by the student, even if at the last possible moment, be acknowledged. Therefore, it is desired to provide an online system and method for immediate acknowledgement of completion of the course, particularly, if a regulating body may require proof of such completion.

PRIOR ART SEARCH

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US20170264880A1*2016-03-142017-09-14Symbol Technologies, Lic. Device and method of dimensioning using digital images and depth data.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

1. The objective of the invention is to an image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and also a grid of voxels may then be generated based on the depth image such that the depth image may be down sampled. 2. The other objective of the invention is to the invented technology also includes in the grid of voxels may also be removed to isolate one or more voxels associated with a foreground object such as a Teachers, students, director or human target and a location or position of one or more extremities of the isolated human target may be determined and a model may be adjusted based on the location or position of the one or more extremities. 3. The other objective of the invention is to the invented technology also online education and the system of the invention includes an educator provider system and at least one student system connected via a network means, such as the Internet, for bidirectional communication there between. 4. The other objective of the invention is to the educator provider system is capable of transmitting, and the at least one student system is capable of receiving, at least one lesson for education purposes. The invented technology the lesson is interactive and includes at least one audio file used to control the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student at the at least one student system and the educator provider system also includes a mechanism for generating a lesson completion record and/or an electronic certificate of completion after a student has completed the lesson. 5. The other objective of the invention is to the lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate may be transmitted to the at least one student system and/or to an education authority system, indicating and providing proof to the student and/or the education authority, respectively, that the student has completed the lesson. 6. The other objective of the invention is to the method of the invention, the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student is controlled by playing of the at least one audio file at the at least one student system and in another embodiment of the method of the present invention, the lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate of completion is transmitted by the educator provider system and received by the student system at which the student completed the lesson and/or the education authority that has an interest in completion of the lesson by the student. 7. The other objective of the invention is to the by the use of the system and method of the invention, an education authority can be assured that a student attends the online lesson for the requisite minimum time period, and that the student satisfactorily completes the lesson.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for tracking a user in a scene. For example, an image such as depth image of a scene may be received or observed. A grid of voxels may then be generated based on the depth image such that the depth image may be down sampled. For example, the depth image may include a plurality of pixels that may be divided into portions or blocks. A voxel may then be generated for each portion or block such that the received depth image may be down sampled into the grid of voxels.

A background included in the grid of voxels may then be removed to isolate one or more voxels associated with a foreground object such as a human target. A location or position of one or more extremities such as a centroid or center, head, shoulders, hips, arms, hands, elbows, legs, feet, knees, or the like of the isolated human target may be determined. Additionally, dimensions such as measurements including widths, lengths, or the like of the extremities may be determined.

A model may then be adjusted based on the location or position of the one or more extremities and/or the dimensions determined therefore. For example, the model may be a skeletal model that may include joints and/or bones. One or more of the joints of the model may be adjusted such that the one or more joints may be assigned to the location or position of the one or more extremities corresponding thereto and/or the bones defined there between may be adjusted to the dimensions of the one or more extremities corresponding thereto.

The adjusted model may be processed. For example, in one embodiment, the adjusted may be mapped to an avatar or game character such that the avatar or game character may be animated to mimic the user and/or the adjusted model may be provided to a gestures library in a computing environment that may be used to determine controls to perform within an application based on positions of various body parts in the model.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

The invention is a system and method for online education. In one embodiment, the online education system includes an educator provider system, at least one student system, and a network connected to the educator provider system and the at least one student system for bidirectional communication therebetweeen. The educator provider system is likely to be operated by an educational institution which offers lessons (also referred to herein as courses), or by a third party who makes such lessons available over the network for the benefit of one or more educational institutions. Each lesson transmitted by the educator provider system to the at least one student system is interactive, and includes at least one audio file. The pace of the presentation of the lesson to a studentattheatleastonestudent system is controlled by an audio controlling mechanism based on the received audio file. The audio file maybe instructional in addition to being used to control the pace of the lesson and insure attendance of the course for a minimum time period.

The network comprises the Internet, and each student system comprises a computing unit having a browser operable thereon. Working in conjunction with the browser is a browser compatible plug-in for audio streaming. In another embodiment, the audio streaming capability is included in the browser. The student is not permitted to advance during the time that the audio file is "played" by the plug-in and/or browser. In this manner, the rate of advancement of the educational material presented to the student is controlled by the system.

Each lesson comprises a plurality of presentations. Each presentation has associated therewith at least one audio file. The student is prohibited from advancing forward from one presentation to the next by the audio controlling means. Specifically, the audio file(s) associated with the presentation must be completely played at the student system before the student can advance to the next presentation. In this manner, the pace of the presentation of the lesson to the student at the student system is controlled as is the rate of advancement through each presentation of the lesson. The student must "attend" the lesson for at least a specified amount of time. Such an audio controlling mechanism thus ensures that the student has participated in the lesson for at least the minimum time represented by the collective time required to play each of the audio files associated with each of the presentations of the lesson.

A video file and video controlling means issued to control the pace of the lesson and advancement through the lesson. Alternately, a combination of audio and video files may be used to control the pace and advancement.

The invention, the educator provider system includes the ability to generate a lesson completion record upon completion of a lesson by a student at one of the at least one student systems connected to the network. Such a lesson completion record may comprise a certificate of completion that the student may store and print for acknowledgement of completion of the course. If the lesson includes tests (quizzes, questions, etc.), the educator provider system can qualify the record or certificate based on the number or percentage of correct/incorrect answers. In such instances, a record or certificate may not be generated if the student was not "successful" i.e., met the minimum requirements for the number or percentage of correct answers.

In still another embodiment of the invention, the system includes an education authority system connected to the network. The education authority system may be operated by or for a governmental agency or professional organization charged with overseeing the completion of courses by certain classes of persons. For example, a state agency may be charged with ensuring that child care organizations maintain qualified personnel on their staff, with the qualifications for such personnel including completion of specific courses to become qualified, and/or completion of continuing education courses to remain certified.

The addition of the education authority system to the online education system of the present invention provides at least two additional benefits. First, all or a portion of the content of the lesson to be transmitted to student systems may be generated at the education authority system. The content generated by the education authority system may either be transmitted to the educator provider system for storage and subsequent transmittal to the student systems, and/or be accessed by the educator provider system when transmitting a lesson to a student system. In the latter scenario, the educator provider system acts as a conduit for the lesson content residing at the education authority system.

The second advantage of the addition of the education authority system is the fact that the lesson completion record may be transmitted by the educator provider system to the education authority system. In this manner, the education authority will be apprised of successful completion by a student in near real time. This timely notice may be particularly important where the student completes the course shortly before a deadline imposed by the education authority or appropriate regulating authority.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAM

FIGS. 1A and 1B is an example embodiment of a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system with a user teaching, study, playing a game.

FIG. 2: is an example embodiment of a capture device that may be used in a target recognition, analysis, objecttracking, student tracking, teacher tracking system.

FIG. 3: is an example embodiment of a computing environment that may be used to interpret one or more kit/gestures in a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system and/or animate an avatar or on-screen character displayed by a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system.

FIG. 4: is another example embodiment of a computing environment that may be used to interpret one or more kit/gestures in a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system and/or animate an avatar or on-screen character displayed by a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system.

FIG. 5: depicts a flow diagram of an example method for tracking a user in a scene.

FIG. 6: shows a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of the online education system.

FIG. 7: shows a screen printout at a student system of the login screen.

FIG. 8: shows a screen printout of the course selection screen.

FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B collectively show a screen printout of the system configuration screen.

FIG. 10A, FIG. 10B, FIG. 10C, FIG. 10D, FIG. 10E, and FIG. 10F each show screen printouts of portions of a lesson as presented to a student at a teacher/student system.

FIG. 11: shows a screen printout of a summary page of a lesson in accordance with one embodiment of the invention in which the materials of FIGS.1OA-10F have been summarized.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example embodiment of a configuration of a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 with a user 18 playing a boxing game. In an example embodiment, the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 may be used to recognize, analyze, and/or track a human target such as the user 18.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 may include a computing environment 12. The computing environment 12 may be a computer, a gaming system or console, or the like. According to an example embodiment, the computing environment 12 may include hardware components and/or software components such that the computing environment 12 may be used to execute applications such as gaming applications, non-gaming applications, or the like.

The computing environment 12 may include a processor such as a standardized processor, a specialized processor, a microprocessor, or the like that may execute instructions including, for example, instructions for receiving a depth image; generating a grid of voxels based on the depth image; removing a background included in the grid of voxels to isolate one or more voxels associated with a human target; determining a location or position of one or more extremities of the isolated human target; adjusting a model based on the location or position of the one or more extremities, or any other suitable instruction, which will be described in more detail below.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 may further include a capture device 20. The capture device 20 may be, for example, a camera that may be used to visually monitor one or more users, such as the user 18, such that gestures and/or movements performed by the one or more users may be captured, analyzed, and tracked to perform one or more controls or actions within an application and/or animate an avatar or on-screen character, as will be described in more detail below.

According to one embodiment, the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 may be connected to an audiovisual device 16 such as a television, a monitor, a high-definition television (HDTV), or the like that may provide game or application visuals and/or audio to a user such as the user 18. For example, the computing environment 12 may include a video adapter such as a graphics card and/or an audio adapter such as a sound card that may provide audiovisual signals associated with the game application, non-game application, or the like. The audiovisual device 16 may receive the audiovisual signals from the computing environment 12 and may then output the game or application visuals and/or audio associated with the audiovisual signals to the user 18. According to one embodiment, the audiovisual device 16 may be connected to the computing environment 12 via, for example, an S-Video cable, a coaxial cable, an HDMI cable, a DVI cable, a VGA cable, or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 may be used to recognize, analyze, and/or track a human target such as the user 18. For example, the user 18 may be tracked using the capture device 20 such that the gestures and/or movements of user 18 may be captured to animate an avatar or on-screen character and/or may be interpreted as controls that may be used to affect the application being executed by computer environment 12. Thus, according to one embodiment, the user 18 may move his or her body to control the application and/or animate the avatar or on-screen character.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in an example embodiment, the application executing on the computing environment 12 may be a boxing game that the user 18 may be playing. For example, the computing environment 12 may use the audiovisual device 16 to provide a visual representation of a boxing opponent 38 to the user 18. The computing environment 12 may also use the audiovisual device 16 to provide a visual representation of a player avatar 40 that the user 18 may control with his or her movements. For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the user 18 may throw a punch in physical space to cause the player avatar 40 to throw a punch in game space. Thus, according to an example embodiment, the computer environment 12 and the capture device 20 of the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 may be used to recognize and analyze the punch of the user 18 in physical space such that the punch may be interpreted as a game control of the player avatar 40 in game space and/or the motion of the punch may be used to animate the player avatar 40 in game space.

Other movements by the user 18 may also be interpreted as other controls or actions and/or used to animate the player avatar, such as controls to bob, weave, shuffle, block, jab, or throw a variety of different power punches. Furthermore, some movements may be interpreted as controls that may correspond to actions other than controlling the player avatar 40. For example, in one embodiment, the player may use movements to end, pause, or save a game, select a level, view high scores, communicate with a friend, etc. According to another embodiment, the player may use movements to select the game or other application from a main user interface. Thus, in example embodiments, a full range of motion of the user 18 may be available, used, and analyzed in any suitable manner to interact with an application.

The human target such as the user 18 may have an object. In such embodiments, the user of an electronic game may be holding the object such that the motions of the player and the object may be used to adjust and/or control parameters of the game. For example, the motion of a player holding a racket may be tracked and utilized for controlling an on screen racket in an electronic sports game. In another example embodiment, the motion of a player holding an object may be tracked and utilized for controlling an on-screen weapon in an electronic combat game.

According to other example embodiments, the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 may further be used to interpret target movements as operating system and/or application controls that are outside the realm of games. For example, virtually any controllable aspect of an operating system and/or application may be controlled by movements of the target such as the user 18.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example embodiment of the capture device 20 that may be used in the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10. According to an example embodiment, the capture device 20 may be configured to capture video with depth information including a depth image that may include depth values via any suitable technique including, for example, time-of-flight, structured light, stereo image, or the like. According to one embodiment, the capture device 20 may organize the depth information into "Z layers," or layers that may be perpendicular to a Z axis extending from the depth camera along its line of sight.

As shown in FIG. 2, the capture device 20 may include an image camera component 22. According to an example embodiment, the image camera component 22 may be a depth camera that may capture the depth image of a scene. The depth image may include a two dimensional (2-D) pixel area of the captured scene where each pixel in the 2-D pixel area may represent a depth value such as a length or distance in, for example, centimeters, millimeters, or the like of an object in the captured scene from the camera.

As shown in FIG. 2, according to an example embodiment, the image camera component 22 may include an IR light component 24, a three-dimensional (3-D) camera 26, and an RGB camera 28 that may be used to capture the depth image of a scene. For example, in time-of-flight analysis, the IR light component 24 of the capture device 20 may emit an infrared light onto the scene and may then use sensors (not shown) to detect the backscattered light from the surface of one or more targets and objects in the scene using, for example, the 3-D camera 26 and/or the RGB camera 28.

The pulsed infrared light may be used such that the time between an outgoing light pulse and a corresponding incoming light pulse may be measured and used to determine a physical distance from the capture device 20 to a particular location on the targets or objects in the scene. Additionally, in other example embodiments, the phase of the outgoing light wave may be compared to the phase of the incoming light wave to determine a phase shift. The phase shift may then be used to determine a physical distance from the capture device to a particular location on the targets or objects.

According to another example embodiment, time-of-flight analysis may be used to indirectly determine a physical distance from the capture device 20 to a particular location on the targets or objects by analyzing the intensity of the reflected beam of light over time via various techniques including, for example, shuttered light pulse imaging.

The capture device 20 may use a structured light to capture depth information. In such an analysis, patterned light (i.e., light displayed as a known pattern such as grid pattern or a stripe pattern) may be projected onto the scene via, for example, the IR light component 24. Upon striking the surface of one or more targets or objects in the scene, the pattern may become deformed in response. Such a deformation of the pattern may be captured by, for example, the 3-D camera 26 and/or the RGB camera 28 and may then be analyzed to determine a physical distance from the capture device to a particular location on the targets or objects.

According to another embodiment, the capture device 20 may include two or more physically separated cameras that may view a scene from different angles to obtain visual stereo data that may be resolved to generate depth information.

The capture device 20 may further include a microphone 30. The microphone 30 may include a transducer or sensor that may receive and convert sound into an electrical signal. According to one embodiment, the microphone 30 may be used to reduce feedback between the capture device 20 and the computing environment 12 in the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10. Additionally, the microphone 30 may be used to receive audio signals that may also be provided by the user to control applications such as game applications, non-game applications, or the like that may be executed by the computing environment 12.

The capture device 20 may further include a processor 32 that may be in operative communication with the image camera component 22. The processor 32 may include a standardized processor, a specialized processor, a microprocessor, or the like that may execute instructions including, for example, instructions for receiving a depth image; generating a grid of voxels based on the depth image; removing a background included in the grid of voxels to isolate one or more voxels associated with a human target; determining a location or position of one or more extremities of the isolated human target; adjusting a model based on the location or position of the one or more extremities, or any other suitable instruction, which will be described in more detail below.

The capture device 20 may further include a memory component 34 that may store the instructions that may be executed by the processor 32, images or frames of images captured by the 3-D camera or RGB camera, or any other suitable information, images, or the like. According to an example embodiment, the memory component 34 may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), cache, Flash memory, a hard disk, or any other suitable storage component. As shown in FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the memory component 34 may be a separate component in communication with the image capture component 22 and the processor 32. According to another embodiment, the memory component 34 may be integrated into the processor 32 and/or the image capture component 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, the capture device 20 may be in communication with the computing environment 12 via a communication link 36. The communication link 36 may be a wired connection including, for example, a USB connection, a Firewire connection, an Ethernet cable connection, or the like and/or a wireless connection such as a wireless 802.11b, g, a, or n connection. According to one embodiment, the computing environment 12 may provide a clock to the capture device 20 that may be used to determine when to capture, for example, a scene via the communication link 36.

Additionally, the capture device 20 may provide the depth information and images captured by, for example, the 3-D camera 26 and/or the RGB camera 28, and/or a skeletal model that may be generated by the capture device 20 to the computing environment 12 via the communication link 36. The computing environment 12 may then use the model, depth information, and captured images to, for example, control an application such as a game or word processor and/or animate an avatar or on-screen character. For example, as shown, in FIG. 2, the computing environment 12 may include a gestures library 190.

The gestures library 190 may include a collection of gesture filters, each comprising information concerning a gesture that may be performed by the skeletal model (as the user moves). The data captured by the cameras 26, 28 and the capture device 20 in the form of the skeletal model and movements associated with it may be compared to the gesture filters in the gesture library 190 to identify when a user (as represented by the skeletal model) has performed one or more gestures. Those gestures may be associated with various controls of an application. Thus, the computing environment 12 may use the gestures library 190 to interpret movements of the skeletal model and to control an application based on the movements.

FIG.3: is an example embodiment of a computing environment that may be used to interpret one or more gestures in a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system and/or animate an avatar or on-screen character displayed by the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system. The computing environment such as the computing environment 12 described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-2 may be a multimedia console 100, such as a gaming console. As shown in FIG. 3, the multimedia console 100 has a central processing unit (CPU) 101 having a level 1 cache 102, a level 2 cache 104, and a flash ROM (Read Only Memory) 106. The level 1 cache 102 and a level 2 cache 104 temporarily store data and hence reduce the number of memory access cycles, thereby improving processing speed and throughput. The CPU 101 may be provided having more than one core, and thus, additional level 1 and level 2 caches 102 and 104. The flash ROM 106 may store executable code that is loaded during an initial phase of a boot process when the multimedia console 100 is powered ON.

A graphics processing unit (GPU) 108 and a video encoder/video codec (coder/decoder) 114 form a video processing pipeline for high speed and high resolution graphics processing. Data is carried from the graphics processing unit 108 to the video encoder/video codec 114 via a bus. The video processing pipeline outputs data to an A/V (audio/video) port 140 for transmission to a television or other display. A memory controller 110 is connected to the GPU 108 to facilitate processor access to various types of memory 112, such as, but not limited to, a RAM (Random Access Memory).

The multimedia console 100 includes an I/O controller 120, a system management controller 122, an audio processing unit 123, a network interface controller 124, a first USB host controller 126, a second USB controller 128 and a front panel I/O subassembly 130 that are preferably implemented on a module 118. The USB controllers 126 and 128 serve as hosts for peripheral controllers 142(1)-142(2), a wireless adapter 148, and an external memory device 146 (e.g., flash memory, external CD/DVD ROM drive, removable media, etc.). The network interface 124 and/or wireless adapter 148 provide access to a network (e.g., the Internet, home network, etc.) and may be any of a wide variety of various wired or wireless adapter components including an Ethernet card, a modem, a Bluetooth module, a cable modem, and the like.

System memory 143 is provided to store application data that is loaded during the boot process. A media drives 144 is provided and may comprise a DVD/CD drive, hard drive, or other removable media drive, etc. The media drive 144 may be internal or external to the multimedia console 100. Application data may be accessed via the media drive 144 for execution, playback, etc. by the multimedia console 100. The media drive 144 is connected to the I/O controller 120 via a bus, such as a Serial ATA bus or other high speed connection (e.g., IEEE 1394).

The system management controller 122 provides a variety of service functions related to assuring availability of the multimedia console 100. The audio processing unit 123 and an audio codec 132 form a corresponding audio processing pipeline with high fidelity and stereo processing. Audio data is carried between the audio processing unit 123 and the audio codec 132 via a communication link. The audio processing pipeline outputs data to the A/V port 140 for reproduction by an external audio player or device having audio capabilities.

The front panel I/O subassembly 130 supports the functionality of the power button 150 and the eject button 152, as well as any LEDs (light emitting diodes) or other indicators exposed on the outer surface of the multimedia console 100. A system power supply module 136 provides power to the components of the multimedia console 100. A fan 138 cools the circuitry within the multimedia console 100.

The CPU 101, GPU 108, memory controller 110, and various other components within the multimedia console 100 are interconnected via one or more buses, including serial and parallel buses, a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures can include a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus, PCI-Express bus, etc.

When the multimedia console 100 is powered ON, application data may be loaded from the system memory 143 into memory 112 and/or caches 102,104 and executed on the CPU 101. The application may present a graphical user interface that provides a consistent user experience when navigating to different media types available on the multimedia console 100. In operation, applications and/or other media contained within the media drive 144 may be launched or played from the media drive 144 to provide additional functionalities to the multimedia console 100.

The multimedia console 100 may be operated as a standalone system by simply connecting the system to a television or other display. In this standalone mode, the multimedia console 100 allows one or more users to interact with the system, watch movies, or listen to music. However, with the integration of broadband connectivity made available through the network interface 124 or the wireless adapter 148, the multimedia console 100 may further be operated as a participant in a larger network community.

When the multimedia console 100 is powered ON, a set amount of hardware resources are reserved for system use by the multimedia console operating system. These resources may include a reservation of memory (e.g., 16 MB), CPU and GPU cycles (e.g., 5%), networking bandwidth (e.g., 8 kbs), etc. Because these resources are reserved at system boot time, the reserved resources do not exist from the application's view.

In particular, the memory reservation preferably is large enough to contain the launch kernel, concurrent system applications and drivers. The CPU reservation is preferably constant such that if the reserved CPU usage is not used by the system applications, an idle thread will consume any unused cycles.

With regard to the GPU reservation, lightweight messages generated by the system applications (e.g., popups) are displayed by using a GPU interrupt to schedule code to render popup into an overlay. The amount of memory required for an overlay depends on the overlay area size and the overlay preferably scales with screen resolution. Where a full user interface is used by the concurrent system application, it is preferable to use a resolution independent of application resolution. A scaler may be used to set this resolution such that the need to change frequency and cause a TV resynch is eliminated.

After the multimedia console 100 boots and system resources are reserved, concurrent system applications execute to provide system functionalities. The system functionalities are encapsulated in a set of system applications that execute within the reserved system resources described above. The operating system kernel identifies threads that are system application threads versus gaming application threads. The system applications are preferably scheduled to run on the CPU 101 at predetermined times and intervals in order to provide a consistent system resource view to the application. The scheduling is to minimize cache disruption for the gaming application running on the console.

When a concurrent system application requires audio, audio processing is scheduled asynchronously to the gaming application due to time sensitivity. A multimedia console application manager (described below) controls the gaming application audio level (e.g., mute, attenuate) when system applications are active.

Input devices (e.g., controllers 142(1) and 142(2)) are shared by gaming applications and system applications. The input devices are not reserved resources, but are to be switched between system applications and the gaming application such that each will have a focus of the device. The application manager preferably controls the switching of input stream, without knowledge the gaming application's knowledge and a driver maintains state information regarding focus switches. The cameras 26, 28 and capture device 20 may define additional input devices for the console 100.

FIG. 4: is another example embodiment of a computing environment 220 that may be the computing environment 12 shown in FIGS. 1A-2 used to interpret one or more gestures in a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system and/or animate an avatar or on-screen character displayed by a target recognition, analysis, and tracking system. The computing system environment 220 is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the presently disclosed subject matter. Neither should the computing environment 220 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment 220.

The various depicted computing elements may include circuitry configured to instantiate specific aspects of the disclosure. For example, the term circuitry used in the disclosure can include specialized hardware components configured to perform function(s) by firmware or switches. In other examples embodiments the term circuitry can include a general purpose processing unit, memory, etc., configured by software instructions that embody logic operable to perform function(s). In example embodiments where circuitry includes a combination of hardware and software, an implementer may write source code embodying logic and the source code can be compiled into machine readable code that can be processed by the general purpose processing unit.

Since one skilled in the art can appreciate that the state of the art has evolved to a point where there is little difference between hardware, software, or a combination of hardware/software, the selection of hardware versus software to effectuate specific functions is a design choice left to an implementer. More specifically, one of skill in the art can appreciate that a software process can be transformed into an equivalent hardware structure, and a hardware structure can itself be transformed into an equivalent software process. Thus, the selection of a hardware implementation versus a software implementation is one of design choice and left to the implementer.

In FIG. 4, the computing environment 220 comprises a computer 241, which typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer 241 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. The system memory 222 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) 223 and random access memory (RAM) 260. A basic input/output system 224 (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 241, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM 223. RAM 260 typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit 259. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 4 illustrates operating system 225, application programs 226, other program modules 227, and program data 228.

The computer 241 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only, FIG. 4 illustrates a hard disk drive 238 that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive 239 that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk 254, and an optical disk drive 240 that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk 253 such as a CD ROM or other optical media.

Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive 238 is typically connected to the system bus 221 through an non-removable memory interface such as interface 234, and magnetic disk drive 239 and optical disk drive 240 are typically connected to the system bus 221 by a removable memory interface, such as interface 235.

The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 4, provide storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer 241. In FIG. 4, for example, hard disk drive 238 is illustrated as storing operating system 258, application programs 257, other program modules 256, and program data 255. Note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system 225, application programs 226, other program modules 227, and program data 228. Operating system 258, application programs 257, other program modules 256, and program data 255 are given different numbers here to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands and information into the computer 241 through input devices such as a keyboard 251 and pointing device 252, commonly referred to as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like.

These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 259 through a user input interface 236 that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). The cameras 26, 28 and capture device 20 may define additional input devices for the console 100. A monitor 242 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 221 via an interface, such as a video interface 232. In addition to the monitor, computers may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers 244 and printer 243, which may be connected through a output peripheral interface 233.

The computer 241 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 246. The remote computer 246 may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer 241, although only a memory storage device 247 has been illustrated in FIG. 4. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 2 include a local area network (LAN) 245 and a wide area network (WAN) 249, but may also include other networks. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 241 is connected to the LAN 245 through a network interface or adapter 237. When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 241 typically includes a modem 250 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN 249, such as the Internet.

The modem 250, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 221 via the user input interface 236, or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 241, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 4 illustrates remote application programs 248 as residing on memory device 247. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.

FIG. 5: depicts a flow diagram of an example method 300 for tracking a user in a scene. The example method 300 may be implemented using, for example, the capture device 20 and/or the computing environment 12 of the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 described with respect to FIGS. 1A-4. In an example embodiment, the example method 300 may take the form of program code (i.e., instructions) that may be executed by, for example, the capture device 20 and/or the computing environment 12 of the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system 10 described with respect to FIGS. 1A-4.

According to one embodiment, at 305, a depth image may be received. For example, the target recognition, analysis, and tracking system may include a capture device such as the capture device 20 described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-2. The capture device may capture or observe a scene that may include one or more targets. In an example embodiment, the capture device may be a depth camera configured to obtain an image such as a depth image of the scene using any suitable technique such as time-of-flight analysis, structured light analysis, stereo vision analysis, or the like.

The depth image may be a plurality of observed pixels where each observed pixel has an observed depth value. For example, the depth image may include a two-dimensional (2-D) pixel area of the captured scene where each pixel in the 2-D pixel area may have a depth value such as a length or distance in, for example, centimeters, millimeters, or the like of an object in the captured scene from the capture device.

Referring now to FIG. 6: there is shown a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of the online education system of the present invention. In this embodiment, online education system 20 includes educator provider system 22, first student system 24, second student system 26, third student system 28, fourth student system 30, education authority system 32, and network 34. Educator provider system 22 generally belongs to a party (educator) offering online courses or lessons, or to a third party who makes such courses or lessons available on behalf of the educator. Student systems 24, 26, 28, and 30 are used by one or more students desiring to take the educator's courses or lessons online.

Education authority system 32 generally belongs to an organization having an interest in ensuring that students take the courses or lessons offered by the educator. An education authority may be a professional organization or governmental agency, for example. In a state in which child care providers are required by the state to take certain courses to become and/or remain certified to provide child care services in that state, the education authority is the governmental agency or contracted firm designated to oversee such certification. In another state, a state charged board of examiners oversees completion of continuing legal education requirements by lawyers. That board of examiners is an education authority. The education authority also could be comprised of multiple organizations cooperating in the provision of education or education accreditation, or to an entity owning or operating a number of educational centers.

Thus, online education system 20 permits an educator provider to present courses or lessons to students. With the use of network 34, such access may be from any location in which student systems 24, 26, 28, or 30 are located, and at any time. This general configuration of FIG. 1 is sometimes referred to as "distance learning" due to the elimination of time and spatial requirements for class location.

Education authority system 32 is optional, as is explained in greater detail below. Courses and/or lessons, and any or all of the content thereof, may originate from education authority system 32, educator provider system 22, or another source involved in development of courses and/or lessons suitable for distance learning.

Returning to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, educator provider system 22 includes server 36. Server 36 permits educator provider system 22 to connect to network 34 and manages the presentation of courses and/or lessons to students over network 34.

Each student system 24, 26, 28, and 30 may be of various configurations well known in the art. Fourth student system 30 is shown having processor 38, keyboard 40, monitor 42, and printer 44. Processor 38 manages communication with the network 34 and manages input and output from keyboard 40, monitor 42, and printer 44. Keyboard 40 is exemplary of an input device, serving as a means for a student to input information to student system 30. Other input devices, such as a mouse, are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention.

Monitor 42 serves as a visual display means to display the courses and/or lessons to a student using student system 30. Printer 44 serves as a means to display courses and/or lessons and to print lesson completion records and/or electronic certificates, as is explained in greater detail herein. Each student system 24, 26, 28, and 30 may comprise other devices known in the art for bidirectional communication over a network. For example, the use of a personal hand held device, such as a PalmM PilotM , a laptop computer, and a telephonic device, such as a telephone, are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention. Each student system 24, 26, 28, and 30 must be capable of receiving audio signals or files for reasons explained herein below.

Educator authority system 32 may be any system capable of communicating with network 34. Like educator provider system 22, it may comprise a server, keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, etc., as is well known in the art.

Network 34 is of the type to permit bidirectional communication between educator provider system22and student systems 24,26,28, and30. In one embodiment, network 34 comprises the global network known as the Internet. Network34may, however, comprise other network means permitting bidirectional communication, or combinations of such network means as are well known in the art. A local area network, wide area network, telecommunications wire and/or fiber networks, and satellite communications networks are just a few examples of alternate network means well known in the art and contemplated to be within the scope of the invention.

Before discussing the operation of online education system 20, the course and/or lesson taught through online education system 20 is worthy of discussion. As used herein below and in the claims, the term "lesson" refers generally to any instruction unit and/or combination of instructional units. Each instructional unit may comprise one or more presentations. Each presentation is a frame/page/screen of content presented to a student. A lesson may comprise text, graphics, videos, photographs, audio content or other content well known in the art, and any combination of one or more of these various types of content. A lesson can be generated in whole or in part by educator provider system 22, education authority system 32, and/or by any third party system, or by a combination of systems and sources. The term "course" is sometimes used in the following text, and is to be synonymous with "lesson".

The whole operation is described herein below, the content of the lesson illustrated was generated by a third party system and educator provider system 22. By means well known in the art, HTML pages were generated for the lesson, with the HTML pages containing all content except audio content. For each HTML page, which constitutes a "presentation" of the lesson, at least one audio file was generated and associated with at least one of the HTML pages. Such audio files are in a format readable at student systems 24, 26, 28, and 30 by use of a browser plug-in such as Macromedia Shockwave by Macromedia, Inc.

The use of HTML and Macromedia Shockwave is conducive to an environment where network 34 comprises the Internet, and where each student system 24, 26, 28, and 30 has a browser, such as Microsoft Corporation's Internet ExplorerM or Netscape Corporation's Navigator", residing thereon together with the Macromedia Shockwave plug-in. With this configuration, each student system 24, 26, 28, and 30 is capable of receiving the lesson, allowing the student to interact with the lesson, and allowing the student to be in bidirectional communication with educator provider system 22.

It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the audio streaming capability maybe built into the browser, such as has been announced to be included in future versions of Internet Explorer' and Netscape". Regardless of the structure of the software and/or hardware operating on each student system 24, 26, 28, and 30, it is key that the software and/or hardware include the ability to read and play the audio file(s) associated with the pages of the lesson to serve as an audio controlling mechanism.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a screen printout at student system 30 of the login screen according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the login screen is located on the Internet at the web address of www.ptctraining/online/login.plp, which provides a student accessing such page with access to educator provider system 22. The login screen of FIG. 7 provides input fields for a User ID and Password at User ID field 40 and Password field 42, respectively. Valid User IDs and Passwords may be provided to the student from the educator provider, the education authority, or third party educator, but obviously must be recognizable by educator provider system 22. Generally, the student must be pre-approved by an educator, for the present invention permits for offering of credit to the student. Further, pre-approval may be desired to ensure payment by the student for the training provided.

The login screen of FIG. 7 also contains "Forgot your password" button 44 for execution of a small program used to assist the student to remember his/her password, as is well known in the art. Clear button 46, when activated, clears any information entered in User

ID field 40 and Password field 42. Log In button 48 may be activated by the student after the student enters his/her assigned User ID and Password to permit the student to proceed toward taking one or more lessons.

FIG. 8: shows a screen printout of the course selection screen according to one embodiment of the present invention. The course selection screen is displayed to a student at student system 30 after entry of a valid User ID in User ID field 45, entry of a valid password in Password field 47, and activation of Log In button 48 of the login screen illustrated in FIG. 7. Fourth student system 30 will be used as an exemplary student system in the discussion to follow, and is not intended to be limiting in any respect.

The FIG. 8, the student is only registered to take the course entitled, "Sensational Science". General information about the course is listed on this course selection screen. If the student is signed up for more than one course, additional courses would be displayed on the screen of FIG. 8. Similarly, if a student had started a course, but interrupted it, as is discussed in further detail herein, such an interrupted course would also be listed, with its status indicated as incomplete. For the student to begin to take the course "Sensational Science", he/she should activate Take Course button 50.

FIGS. 9A and 9B collectively show a screen printout of the student system configuration screen according to one embodiment of the present invention. The configuration screen of FIGS. 9A and 9B is displayed at student system 30 upon activation of Take Course button 50 of FIG. 8. The configuration screen is useful to notify the student of the requirements of student system 30 for the Sensational Science Course. Note that the requirements listed in FIG. 9A include a "sound card", "speakers," and "Macromedia Shockwave 8". These requirements go to the audio controlling feature of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, and 10F, there are shown screen printouts of portions of a lesson as presented to a student according to one embodiment of the present invention. As is well known in the art, the content of the lesson is controlled at educator provider system 22. The lesson is also interactive, allowing a student at student system 30 to enter information related to the lesson as is described in further detail herein.

The general elements of the presentations of FIGS. 8, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, and 1OF are now discussed. Located at the top of each screen is header 60. In this embodiment, header 60 identifies the educator provider, namely "PTC Online Learning", operating educator provider system 22; the name of the course, namely, "Sensational Science"; and the type of browser, namely "Netscape", being used at student system 30. At subtitle 62, the name of the course, namely "Sensational Science", is displayed.

Two types of status information are also displayed in the lesson screens of FIGS. 10A-10F. Loading status bar 64 indicates the status of the loading of the content of the screen onto student system 30. Class status indicator 66 shows the status of lesson completion, i.e., the percentage of the lesson completed with this screen.

Several buttons are provided for activation by a student at student system 30 during the lesson. Those buttons include left arrow button 68, LOGOUT button 70, HELP button 72, and FORWARD or right arrow button 74.

Left arrow button 68 and right arrow button 74 allow the student to move back to the previous screen page or forward to the next screen page, respectively. As will be explained in further detail herein, in this embodiment, left arrow button 68 remains activatable throughout the display of the page, while right arrow button 74 is only activatable upon completion of the presentation, both visual and auditory, of the presently displayed screen.

HELP button 72, activatable throughout the display of the page, if activated by the student, takes the student to help pages, as is well known in the art. These help pages may, for example, give the student information about the buttons on the screen, troubleshooting tips, and/or the opportunity to contact the educator provider.

LOGOUT button 70, activatable throughout the display of the page, if activated by the student, allows the student to interrupt the current course by logging out. If the student logs out, educator provider systems 22 keeps track of the location in the lesson at which the student logged out. Later, the student may resume a partially completed lesson by logging in as described above in association with FIGS. 7 and 8 above.

Another button, Replay Audio button 76, is present on each of the screens shown in FIGS.10A-10F. Activation of Replay Audio button 76 initiates a replay of the audio file(s) transmitted as part of the lesson for the particular screen displayed. The significance of these audio file(s) will be discussed later herein.

Each lesson page/screen (presentation) of the screens of FIGS.10A-10F is comprised of a screen area designated in these FIGS.10A-10F as content screen area 78. Within content screen area 78 is the content for that particular portion of the lesson. Content screen area 78 of FIG. 10A is comprised of first text portion 80 and first photograph 82. Content screen area 78 of FIG. 10B is comprised of second photograph 84 and second text portion 86. Content screen area 78 of FIG. 10C is comprised of third text portion 88 and third photograph 90. Content screen area 78 of FIG. 10D is comprised of fourth photograph 92 and fourth text portion 94. Content screen area 78 of FIG. 10E is comprised of fifth text portion 96, and of fifth, sixth and seventh photographs 98, 100, and 102, respectively. Content screen area 78 of FIG. 1OF is comprised of sixth text portion 104, and first, second, and third graphics 106, 108, and 110, respectively.

As is illustrated by FIGS.10A-10F, content screen area 78 may contain content from various sources, including but not limited to text, photographs, and graphics. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that videos or other content well known in the art may also be placed into content screen area 78. The only limitation to the content within screen area 78 is to ensure that educator provider system 22 be able to transmit such content and student system 30 be able to receive such content in a manner that allows a student using student system 30 to comprehend the content with student system 30.

The invention also requires that the content of at least one lesson page/screen has associated therewith at least one audio file. The audio file(s) is (are) used to control the pace and rate of advancement of the presentation of the lesson pages having audio associated therewith, and, subsequently, of the entire lesson. A student will not be able to logout using LOGOUT button 70 or to advance to the next screen/page using right arrow button 74 until the at least one audio file for that screen/page has completed playing at student system 30. This "playing" of the audio file(s) is achieved using the Macromedia Shockwave plug-in previously described in connection with this embodiment of the invention.

It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that not every lesson page/screen need have an audio file. However, it is the audio files present which control the pace and rate of a document through the lesson.

The audio file(s) for a screen may be tied to content presented on content screen area 78. In the embodiment of FIGS. 10A-10F, a single audio file is used for each screen, with that audio file comprising a reading of text portions 80, 86, 88, 94, 98, and 104, respectively, of these FIGS. 10A-10F. Such audio files are therefore instructive in addition to being used to control the pace of the lesson. Thus, for a student to proceed in order through the screens of FIGS.10A-10F, the screen of FIG. 10A is displayed and the audio file reading first text portion 80 is played to completion. After a complete playing of the audio file associated with the content of FIG. 10A, the student may activate right arrow button 74 on FIG. 10A to proceed to the screen of FIG. 10B. The screen of FIG. 10B is displayed and the audio file reading second text portion 86 of FIG. 10B is played to completion.

The student may then proceed to the screen of FIG. 10C by activating right arrow button 74 of FIG. 10B. The screen of FIG. 10C is displayed and the audio file reading third text portion 88 of FIG. 10C is played to completion. The student may then proceed to the screen of FIG. 10D by activating right arrow button 74 of FIG. 10C. The screen of FIG. 10D is then displayed and the audio files reading fourth text portion 94 is played to completion. The student may then proceed to the screen of FIG. 10E by activating right arrow button 74 of FIG. 10D. The screen of FIG. 10E is then displayed and the audio file reading fifth text portion 98 of FIG. 10E is played to completion. The student may then advance to the screen of FIG. 6F by activating right arrow button 74 of FIG. 10E. The screen of FIG. 1OF is then displayed and the audio file corresponding to sixth text portion 104 of FIG. 1OF is then played to completion. The student may then proceed by activating right arrow button 78 of FIG. 10F.

At any time during the display of any of the screens of FIGS. 10A to 10F, the student may select left arrow button 68 to return to the previously displayed screen, LOGOUT button 70 to logout from the lesson, or HELP button 72 for help or troubleshooting information.

It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the use of an audio file for a screen in this manner helps to ensure that the student has taken the requisite time in taking the course. It will also be appreciated that the audio file(s) associated with any screen need not be a reading of text displayed on that screen. If a content element is a video with sound, then the sound of the video may comprise the audio file for that screen. Alternatively, the content may comprise audio apart from a particular content element on the screen. The audio file(s) do not have to be a reading. Music, sound effects, and any other combination of auditory tones are considered to be within the scope of the invention.

It will also be appreciated that time restrictions other than those associated with the time to play the audio files maybe employed with the system and method of the present invention. For example, the student may be required to advance, seek help, or logout within a prescribed period of time after completion of the playing of the audio file(s) associated with a page of the lesson.

Referring now to FIG. 11, there is shown a screen printout of a summary page of a lesson in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The summary screen of FIG. 11 is displayed after the student activates right arrow button 74 of FIG. 10F, and summarizes the content of the screens of FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, and 10F. A question is posed in seventh text portion 112, with possible answers in boxes 114, 116, 118, 120, and 122. Referring to fourth text portion 94 of FIG. 10D, one can determine that all of the answers set forth in boxes 114,116, 118,120, and 122 are correct answers to the question posed in seventh text portion 112.

Claims

WE CLAIM

1) Our Invention "IOTM- Class Monitoring System" is an image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and also a grid of voxels may then be generated based on the depth image such that the depth image may be down sampled. The invented technology also includes in the grid of voxels may also be removed to isolate one or more voxels associated with a foreground object such as a Teachers, students, director or human target and a location or position of one or more extremities of the isolated human target may be determined and a model may be adjusted based on the location or position of the one or more extremities. The invented technology also online education and the system of the invention includes an educator provider system and at least one student system connected via a network means, such as the Internet, for bidirectional communication there between. The educator provider system is capable of transmitting, and the at least one student system is capable of receiving, at least one lesson for education purposes. The invented technology the lesson is interactive and includes at least one audio file used to control the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student at the at least one student system and the educator provider system also includes a mechanism for generating a lesson completion record and/or an electronic certificate of completion after a student has completed the lesson. The lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate may be transmitted to the at least one student system and/or to an education authority system, indicating and providing proof to the student and/or the education authority, respectively, that the student has completed the lesson. The method of the invention, the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student is controlled by playing of the at least one audio file at the at least one student system and in another embodiment of the method of the present invention, the lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate of completion is transmitted by the educator provider system and received by the student system at which the student completed the lesson and/or the education authority that has an interest in completion of the lesson by the student. By the use of the system and method of the invention, an education authority can be assured that a student attends the online lesson for the requisite minimum time period, and that the student satisfactorily completes the lesson.

2) According to claims# the invention is to an image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and also a grid of voxels may then be generated based on the depth image such that the depth image may be down sampled.

3) According to claiml,2# the invention is to the invented technology also includes in the grid of voxels may also be removed to isolate one or more voxels associated with a foreground object such as a Teachers, students, director or human target and a location or position of one or more extremities of the isolated human target may be determined and a model may be adjusted based on the location or position of the one or more extremities.

4) According to claiml,2# the invention is to the invented technology also online education and the system of the invention includes an educator provider system and at least one student system connected via a network means, such as the Internet, for bidirectional communication there between. ) According to claim,2,4# the invention is to the educator provider system is capable of transmitting, and the at least one student system is capable of receiving, at least one lesson for education purposes. The invented technology the lesson is interactive and includes at least one audio file used to control the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student at the at least one student system and the educator provider system also includes a mechanism for generating a lesson completion record and/or an electronic certificate of completion after a student has completed the lesson. 6) According to claiml,2,5# the invention is to the lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate may be transmitted to the at least one student system and/or to an education authority system, indicating and providing proof to the student and/or the education authority, respectively, that the student has completed the lesson. 7) According to claiml,2,5# the invention is to the method of the invention, the pace of the presentation of the lesson to a student is controlled by playing of the at least one audio file at the at least one student system and in another embodiment of the method of the present invention, the lesson completion record and/or electronic certificate of completion is transmitted by the educator provider system and received by the student system at which the student completed the lesson and/or the education authority that has an interest in completion of the lesson by the student. 8) According to claiml,2,5# the invention is to the by the use of the system and method of the invention, an education authority can be assured that a student attends the online lesson for the requisite minimum time period, and that the student satisfactorily completes the lesson.

FIG. 1A: IS AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT OF A TARGET RECOGNITION, ANALYSIS, AND TRACKING SYSTEM WITH A USER TEACHING, STUDY, PLAYING A GAME.

FIG.1B: IS AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT OF A TARGET RECOGNITION, ANALYSIS, AND TRACKING SYSTEM WITH A USER TEACHING, STUDY, PLAYING A GAME.

FIG. 2: IS AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT OF A CAPTURE DEVICE THAT MAY BE USED IN A TARGET RECOGNITION, ANALYSIS, OBJECT TRACKING, STUDENT TRACKING, TEACHER TRACKING SYSTEM.

FIG. 7: SHOWS A SCREEN PRINTOUT AT A STUDENT SYSTEM OF THE LOGIN SCREEN.

FIG. 8: SHOWS A SCREEN PRINTOUT OF THE COURSE SELECTION SCREEN.

FIG. 9A: IS A COLLECTIVELY SHOW A SCREEN PRINTOUT OF THE SYSTEM CONFIGURATION SCREEN.

FIG. 9B: IS A COLLECTIVELY SHOW A SCREEN PRINTOUT OF THE SYSTEM CONFIGURATION SCREEN. 2020102908

FIG. 10A IS A SHOW SCREEN PRINTOUTS OF PORTIONS OF A LESSON AS PRESENTED TO A STUDENT AT A TEACHER/STUDENT SYSTEM.

FIG. 10B IS A SHOW SCREEN PRINTOUTS OF PORTIONS OF A LESSON AS PRESENTED TO A STUDENT AT A TEACHER/STUDENT SYSTEM.

FIG. 10C: IS A SHOW SCREEN PRINTOUTS OF PORTIONS OF A LESSON AS PRESENTED TO A STUDENT AT A TEACHER/STUDENT SYSTEM.

FIG. 10D: IS A SHOW SCREEN PRINTOUTS OF PORTIONS OF A LESSON AS PRESENTED TO A STUDENT AT A TEACHER/STUDENT SYSTEM.

FIG. 10E: IS A SHOW SCREEN PRINTOUTS OF PORTIONS OF A LESSON AS PRESENTED TO A STUDENT AT A TEACHER/STUDENT SYSTEM.

FIG. 10F: IS A SHOW SCREEN PRINTOUTS OF PORTIONS OF A LESSON AS PRESENTED TO A STUDENT AT A TEACHER/STUDENT SYSTEM.

FIG. 11: SHOWS A SCREEN PRINTOUT OF A SUMMARY PAGE OF A LESSON IN ACCORDANCE WITH ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH THE MATERIALS OF FIGS. 10A-10F HAVE BEEN SUMMARIZED.