FR2728984A1 - Collection of answers from candidates in collective examination - Google Patents

Abstract

The answer gathering system allows gathering of candidates responses to questions presented by displaying a sequence of images or sounds. A controlling computer (10,30) controls delivery of questions, and triggers an emitter (12) that sends out an electromagnetic signal carrying synchronisation codes that link to the sequence of questions. The candidates operate terminals (20), each connected to the controller. The terminals have detectors that receive the synchronisation signals. The answer is entered at a keypad by the candidate. The candidates answer together with the synchronisation code is stored in memory for processing by the controlling computer.

Description

 The present invention relates to a system for collecting responses given by candidates for a collective examination.

 During a collective examination, the candidates are subjected to a series of questions which are generally in correspondence with sequences of images, for example broadcast by a slide projector, or by a wire projector, or even by a system. of TV. They can also correspond to sequences of sounds delivered by a tape recorder or any other means.

 Each candidate has a sheet of answer paper on which he indicates with a pencil, opposite the question asked, his or her answers. These can consist of a yes / no response or a response number appears to be a set of responses.

 When the exam is finished, the answer sheets are collected and the answers given by the candidates are counted in order to give them a mark normally representative of their level of knowledge.

 Tackling the candidates' responses is a long and delicate operation. It could be done by computer, but this would require entering them on a computer. This entry would also be long and tedious and, moreover, it could be marred by errors which are of course not desirable.

 The object of the invention is to propose a system which works to collect the responses given by the candidates to a collective erplon and which does not require, for the subsequent counting of the responses, an input operation.

 Another object of the invention is to provide such a den systyle that its structure does not strike its cost and makes it prohibitive.

 To this end, a collection system according to the invention comprises a control unit comprising silks for broadcasting said sequences and means for transmitting, in the form of electro-magnetic signals, synchronization codes in relation to said transmitted sequences, and a plurality of terrestrials intended to be connected & to the control unit and disconnected from the control unit, each terminal comprising means for receiving said codes, means for acquiring the answers given by the candidate and a memory in which said answers are stored according to said synchronization codes received by said terminal, said responses stored in the memory of each terminal being read by the control unit when said terminal is connected to said control unit.

 Thus, during the examination, the answers of a candidate are stored in the memory of the terminal available to this candidate and this in relation to the sequences transmitted by the cosiande unit. This relationship is established by each terminal according to the synchronization codes it has received.

For example, said synchronization codes are a sequence start code. It will be understood that on receipt of the nie sequence start code, each terminal deduces the appearance of the ni sequence therefrom. It can therefore store the answers given by the candidate in relation to the sequences
Advantageously, said synchronization codes are a sequence start code and a sequence end code, and said means for acquiring the responses given by the candidate are only active between the reception of a sequence start code and receipt of an end of sequence code. Thus, any response given outside of this interval is not taken into account by the system, which makes it possible to limit the time allocated to each response.

 If several examination sessions are planned, it is necessary to also provide a start of session code and an end of session code.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, said deans for transmitting said synchronization codes are a transmitter of infrared rays and said means for receiving said codes are a receiver of infrared rays. These means are simple to use and in addition they are relatively insensitive to ambient noise, parasites, etc.

 According to an alternative embodiment of the system of the invention, said control unit is connected to a central unit which, on the one hand, ensures the broadcasting of the sequences and, on the other hand, allows the counting of the responses given by the candidates .

 According to another characteristic of the invention, in addition to the responses given by the candidate, the times at which said responses are given are stored in said memory of each terminal.

Thus, it is possible to differentiate between, for example, a slow candidate who will answer a question at the end of the sequence and a fast candidate. As a grandmother, it is possible to differentiate between a hesitant candidate who presses several keys before answering correctly and one who directly presses the right key.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, during an initialization phase during which said terminals are connected to said control unit, said control unit assigns to each of said terminals an identification code.

According to another characteristic of the invention, during an initialization phase during which said terminals are connected to said control unit, said cowardice unit transmits to said terminals information on their operating mode when they are disconnected from said control unit
Advantageously, each of said terminals is provided with a connector intended to be connected to a screen a plurality of connectors of said control unit, each of said connectors of said control unit being arranged in the bottom of a housing intended to receive a terminal .

 According to another characteristic of the invention, each of said terminals is provided, for its energy supply, with an accumulator which is recharged when said terminal is connected to said cosiande unit.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, for which:
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a collection system according to the invention,
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a control unit of a system according to the invention,
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a terminal of a system according to the invention,
Fig. 4 shows the connection of a terminal in the collection system according to the invention,
Fig. 5 is a time diagram illustrating the operation of a system according to the invention, and
Fig. 6 is a table which shows how the responses given by a candidate can be stored in the memory of a terminal of a collection system according to the invention
As shown in Fig. 1, a response collection system according to the invention essentially consists of a control unit 10 and a plurality of terminals 201 to 20N.

 The control unit 10 is connected to a central unit 30, consisting for example of a microcomputer, provided with a keyboard 31, a control screen 32 and the peripherals necessary for its operation in the intended use of the system. . It may be a large display device 33 consisting for example of an overhead projector and an associated screen allowing the broadcasting of sequences of images and acoustic speakers 34 allowing the broadcasting of sequences of sounds .

 The control unit 10 is provided with connectors 11, to 11N which are designed to respectively receive the connectors 211 to 21N associated with the terminals 201 to 20N and to allow the electrical connection of the terminals 201 to the control unit 10.

 The control unit 10 is also connected to an electro-magnetic signal transmitter 12, such as an infrared ray transmitter, or a radio frequency or other transmitter. This transmitter 12 is associated with electromagnetic receivers 221 & 22 with which the terminals 201 to 20N are respectively provided. Thus, a wireless link is established between a terminal 20i and, via the transmitter 12, the control unit 10. As will be seen later, this wireless link is provided for the transmission of synchronization codes of 1 control unit 10 to terminals 20t to 20 ..

 Each terminal 20j is provided with a keyboard 23i (i = 1 to) whose number of keys depends on the intended use for the system and with a display device 24j allowing the display of information necessary for the intended use.

 There is shown in FIG. 2 a block diagram of the control unit 10 in which one can recognize the connectors 111 to 11., the interface 13 for the connection of the transmitter 12, the interface 14 for the connection of the central unit 30 and an optional interface 15 which can be provided when, depending on the intended use, it is desired to increase the number of terminals 20j available and, consequently, when it is necessary to have a greater number of connectors 111.

There is shown in FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a terminal 20j in which the connector 21i, the receiver 22j, the keyboard 23t and the display device 241 can be recognized. Each terminal 20j also includes a control unit 25i which is connected to the elements 21i to 24i mentioned above, as well as a memory 26i, for example of the random access RAM type, a supply device 27j provided for supplying the various components of the terminal
A noise filter can be interposed between the receiver 22j and the unit 25j in order to improve the signal / noise ratio of the reception of the signals transmitted by the transmitter 12.

The supply device 27i is advantageously an accumulator which allows autonomous operation of each terminal. This accumulator 27i is connected to the connector 211 which allows, when the terminal is connected to a connector 11j (j = ia
N but may be different from i) of the control unit 10, to charge it.

 The control unit 25j is for example a microprocessor or an aicrocontroller intended for the management of the components of the terainal 201.

The unit 25j can also filter software noise from the receiver 221.

 As shown in FIG. 4, each terminal 20j can be constituted in a housing 28 the bottom 28a of which peddles the connector 211. The control unit 10 is provided with as many housings 16i as there are terminals capable of being received by the control unit 10. Each housing 16i is of such dimensions and shapes that it can receive a terminal 20i and is provided at its bottom with the connector 11i which is designed to cooperate with a connector 21i with a terminal 20i located in a housing 16i.

 The operation of the system of the invention is as follows.

 In a first phase, the terminals 20i are connected to the cossand unit 10 and are for this purpose, for example, housed in a housing 16i of the cnaiande unit 10. As has already been mentioned above, during this phase, the accumulators 27i of the terminals 20i are in charge.

 On the central unit 30, using appropriate programs, the keyboard 31 and the screen 32, a user prepares one or more sessions each consisting of a plurality of sequences each consisting of a visual message and / or of an audible message to be transmitted respectively to the display device 33 and to the acoustic enclosures 34, as well as sequencing information linked to said messages and intended to be transcribed later to the control unit 10.

 This sequencing information essentially consists of temporal information on each sequence, for example, the response start and end of response times for each sequence defined with respect to the start of the session, as well as identification information of each sequence such as, for example, its serial number The keys to which the desired response (s) correspond, say correct answers, can also be defined in this information, in each of the sequences and also information on the operating mode of the terminals 20i. Thus, these modes of operation of the terminals 20i can relate to the display on the display devices 24i or the operation of the keyboards 23i.

The cosande unit 10, under the specific control of the central unit 30, initializes each of the terminals 20i
To do this, it assigns them an identification code and transmits this code to them via connectors 11i and 21i. Each terminal 10i stores this code in its memory 26i.

 During initialization, each terminal 20i also receives the sequence number information, the associated "correct answer" key numbers and the operating iodle information.

 Once the initialization is complete, the system of the invention can be used. To do this, each of the candidates takes a terminal 20i which is then removed from the housing 16j of the control unit 10 in which it is located. It will be noted that each terminal 20i thus becomes autonomous.

 By command from the central unit 30, the session is started and the sequences are broadcast one after the other.

We have represented in FIG. 5 a time diagram in which a session is formed of four sequences of images li, 12, 13 and
I4, of four sequences of sounds S1, S2, S3 and S4 respectively associated with the four sequences of images I1, I2, I3 and I4. note that the sequences of images and sounds do not necessarily coincide.

 Just after the start of the session, the unit 10 controls the transmitter 12 so that it transmits a synchronization code ds in the form of infrared rays representative of the start of the session.

 Each terminal 20 receives, through its receiver 22j, the synchronization code ds. After reception of this code, the keys of the keyboard 23i are rendered inactive by the unit 25i. Each action of the candidate on one of the keys of the keyboard 23i is then without effect.

 After a period of time which is defined in the time information transmitted by the central unit 30, the unit 10 again commands the transmitter 12 for the transmission of a synchronization code dr representative of the start of a sequence.

 Each terminal 20i receives, through its receiver 22j, the code dr and its unit 25i then activates the keyboard 23i Each action of the candidate on one of the keys of the keyboard 23i is then stored in the memory 26i in relation, on the one hand, with the number of the broadcast sequence which is deduced from the number of synchronization codes dr already received and, on the other hand, with the moment defined with respect either to the time of reception of the code for the start of sequence dr, or to the time of reception of the session start code ds.

 A lapse of time still after, lapse of time which is also defined in the temporal information transmitted by the central unit 30, the unit 10 again commands the transmitter 12 for the emission of a synchronization code representative fr from the end of a sequence.

 Each terminal 20i receives, by its receiver 22j, the end of sequence code fr and its unit 25i then deactivates the keyboard 23i.

Each action of the candidate on one of the keys of the keyboard 23i is then again without effect, and this until the reception of a new synchronization code dr at the start of the sequence.

 The cycle just described for sequence 1 starts again for sequence 2, sequence 3 and sequence 4.

 Each terminal 20i allocates the responses to a given sequence according to the number of sequence start codes dr received.

 At the end of the session, the unit 10 controls the transmitter 12 so that it sends the synchronization code fs at the end of the session.

 It will be noted that, depending on the operating mode determined at the time of initialization, the candidate can see on his display device 24i of the terminal 20j, either the keys on which he has previously pressed, or an indication that he has performed a good or incorrect answer, either information on the time elapsed since receiving the response start code, or no information, etc. Similarly, the keyboard 23i can only take into account a single response (it is deactivated after the first press), either a predetermined number of responses, or all the responses until the correct one, etc.

The session being ended, the terminals 20i must be reintroduced into their housing 16i of the control unit 10. As will be understood, they may very well not be introduced into the same housing 16 as that from which they were extracted , because each terminal 20i carries, in its memory 26j, its own identification code
Once in a housing 16, a terminal 20i discharges towards the unit 10 the data which have been stored in its memory 26j, and this by the connectors 11i and 21i
If we assume (see Fig. 5) that at time tl of sequence 1, the key T1 was pressed, that at times t2 and t2 of sequence 2, the keys T1 and T3 were pressed, that 'at time t3 of sequence 3 the key T2 was pressed and that finally at times t4, t4' and t4 "of sequence 4 the keys T1, T3 and T4 were pressed, the data recorded in memory 26 of corresponding terminal can take the form of the table shown in Fig. 6.

 These data transmitted to the control unit 10 in relation to the identification code which has been assigned to the terminal 20i during the initialization phase are retranscribed to the central unit 30 where they are processed for analysis and updating. in form, for example in the form of a graph.

 It will be noted that in use during the examination, the control unit 10 transmits, by the electromagnetic link, to the terminals 20i at most four codes ds, fs, dr and fr. Consequently, this link can be simplified compared to a link which can transmit a number of important levels, and this while being reliable.

 It will be noted that the fact of recording the time of pressing of the keys proves to be interesting during the analysis and pereet to make the difference, for example, between a slow candidate who will answer the question at the end of the sequence and a fast candidate . Similarly, with the system of the invention, it is possible to differentiate between a hesitant candidate who presses several keys before having the correct answer and one who presses the right key directly.

 It will also be noted that the terminals 10i display information on the screen 24i, such as for example the keys already pressed in the sequence. In addition, if during the initialization phase the keys corresponding to the correct responses have been transmitted to the terminals 10i, the latter during the sequences may indicate that the correct response has been given.

As already mentioned above, the control unit 10 can be extended to accommodate a greater number of connectors linked
The control unit 10 and the central unit 30 can consist of only one single machine performing the functions of both the unit 10 and the unit 30.

Claims (10)

 1) System for collecting the responses given by the candidates to a collective examination of the type where each candidate is supported during one or more sessions to a series of questions respectively associated with sequences of images and / or sounds, characterized in that '' it comprises a control unit (10, 30) comprising means (33, 34) for broadcasting said sequences (I1, ..., IM; SM, ..., SM) and means (12) for transmitting, in the form of electromagnetic signals, synchronization codes (ds, dr, fr, fs) in relation to said transmitted sequences (I1, ..., IM; SM, ..., SM), and a plurality of terminals (201 to 20N) provided to be connected to the control unit (10, 30) and disconnected from connected to the control unit (10, 30), each terminal (20i) comprising means (22i) for receiving said codes of synchronization (ds, dr, fr, fs), means (23i) for acquiring the answers given by the candidate and a memory (26i) in which are stored said responses according to said synchronization codes (ds, dr, fr, fs) received by said terminal (20i), said responses stored in the memory (26i) of each terminal (20i) being read by the control unit ( 10, 30) when said terminal (20i) is connected to said control unit (10, 30).  2) collection system according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (12) for transmitting said synchronization codes (ds, dr, fr, fs) are an emitter of infrared rays and in that said means (22i) of reception of said codes are a receiver of infrared rays.  3) Collection system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said synchronization codes (ds, dr, fr, fs) are a sequence start code (dr) and a sequence end code (fr), said acquisition means (23i) of the responses given by the candidate being active only between the reception of a sequence start code (dr) and the reception of a sequence end code (fr).  4) Collection system according to claim 3, characterized in that said synchronization codes (ds, dr, fr, fs) can be a session start code (ds) and a session end code (fs).  5) Collection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control unit (10) is connected to a central unit (30) which, on the one hand, ensures the broadcasting of the sequences (I1, ..., IM; S1, ..., SM) and, on the other hand, allows the examination of the answers given by the candidates.  6) Collection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in addition to the responses given by the candidate, are stored in said memory (26i) of each terminal (20i) the times (t) at which said responses are given.  7) Collection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during an initialization phase during which said terminals (20i) are connected to said control unit (10, 30), said control unit (10, 30) assigns to each of said terminals (20i) an identification code.  8) Collection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during an initialization phase during which said terminals (20i) are connected to said control unit (10, 30), said control unit (10, 30) transmits to said terminals (20i) information on their operating mode when they are disconnected from said control unit (10, 30).  9) Collection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said terminals (20i) is provided with a connector 21i) intended to be connected to one of a plurality of connectors (11i) of said control unit (10 , 30), each of said connectors (bed) of said control unit (10, 30) being provided in the bottom of a housing (16) intended to receive a terminal (20t).  10) collection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said terminals (20i) is provided for its power supply with an accumulator {27;} which is recharged when said terminal (20i) is connected to said unit control (10, 30).