SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR A VIRTUAL LIVE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PLATFORM

SYSTEMES, DISPOSITIFS ET METHODES POUR UNE PLATEFORME VIRTUELLE D'ENSEIGNEMENT ET DE FORMATION EN DIRECT

English Abstract

Computer-implemented methods and systems for a virtual meeting platform is
disclosed. A
method includes: receiving, at a processor, login data and course
identification data, the login
data representing an observer user, the course identification data being
associated with a
participant user; and presenting to the observer user, at an output device, a
session corresponding
to the course identification data for a pre-determined duration, upon
receiving a request for the
same. A method includes: receiving, at a processor, scheduling data associated
with a user;
performing a search on one or more course data structures for one or more
courses matching the
scheduling data to return each matching course, the one or more course data
structures each
storing course data; and presenting to the user, at an output device, each
matching course. A
method includes providing a multi-language feature.

Claims

33
What is claimed is:
1. A computer-implemented method for providing access to a virtual meeting
platform,
the method comprising:
receiving, at a processor, login data and course identification data, the
login data representing an observer user, the course identification data being
associated with a participant user; and
presenting to the observer user, at an output device, a session
corresponding to the course identification data for a pre-determined duration,
upon receiving a request for the same.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the session comprises
an audio
output and a video output.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pre-determined
duration is ten minutes.
4. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 1 to 3, further
comprising
presenting a notification to a presenting user associated with the course
identification
data upon presenting to the temporary user the session, the notification being
an alert
that the temporary user is presented with the session.
5. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 1 to 4, further
comprising the
presenting for two or more successive times.
6. A computer-implemented method for searching a virtual meeting platform, the
method
comprising:
receiving, at a processor, scheduling data associated with a user;
performing a search on one or more course data structures for one or more
courses matching the scheduling data to return each matching course, the one
or
more course data structures each storing course data; and
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presenting to the user, at an output device, each matching course.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the scheduling data
comprises
at least one date and at least one time.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 or 7, further comprising:
receiving, at the processor, geolocation data associated with the user; and
updating the scheduling data based on the geolocation data and before the
matching is performed.
9. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 6 to 8, further
comprising:
performing a search on the one or more course data structures for each
similar course, each similar course within a threshold difference in
scheduling
than is represented by the scheduling data; and
presenting to the user, at the output device, each similar course.
10. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the
matching
is an identical match.
11. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the
matching
is an overlapping match.
12. A computer-implemented method for a virtual meeting platform with a multi-
language
feature, the method comprising:
receiving from each of at least one user, at a processor, a first user input
denoting an audio output language and a second user input denoting a caption
output language;
receiving from a presenting user, at a processor, a presenting user input
denoting an audio input language;
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for each user, converting an audio input from the presenting user to an
audio output in the audio output language of the user and presenting the audio
output to the user at an output device; and
for each user, converting the audio input from the presenting user to a
caption output in the caption output language of the user and presenting the
caption output to the user at the output device.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:
authenticating each user and at least one presenting user using account login;
permitting access by each user and each presenting user to a virtual session
of a
course; and
receiving input from at least one presenting user and transmitting output to
each
user based on the input.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising the
computer-
implemented method of claim 1.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising the
computer-
implemented method of claim 6.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising the
computer-
implemented method of claim 6.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

Description

1
SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR A VIRTUAL LIVE EDUCATION AND
TRAINING PLATFORM
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to online platforms and, in
particular, to online
virtual meeting platforms.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The rapid growth of information technology has brought disruptive
innovation to many
industries. Among those affected, the education industry has experienced
growth in online
education services directed to providing remote tutoring or subject matter
specific courses.
[0003] In this regard, many public and private colleges and universities have
shifted at least in
part to an online service delivery model to allow students greater flexibility
in planning their
academic journey. In doing so, course content directed to subjects like
mathematics, engineering,
science, technology, humanities, or the arts is made available to students
that wish to access the
resources of these institutions in an off-campus setting.
[0004] Similarly, many private education service providers are increasingly
directed towards
online tutoring or virtual skill-based courses. These businesses may seek to
augment a student's
primary learning, such as by offering private tutoring sessions to improve a
student's grades and
standing at a university, or offer vocational training to generally improve a
user's job prospects.
In view of the significant competition faced by new entrants to the job
market, vocational
training can be instrumental in distinguishing oneself from other job
applicants and securing
meaningful employment.
[0005] Furthermore, the global COV1D-19 pandemic accelerated the transition to
online
education service delivery models for many institutions, with online platforms
becoming
paramount to the continued operation of colleges and universities in view of
social distancing
measures and public lockdowns. Consequently, remote learning with colleges,
universities, or
independent education service providers may become increasingly important as
more students
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become acclimated to learning outside of brick-and-mortar classrooms and wish
to attend college
or university or acquire new knowledge or skills in a virtual setting.
SUMMARY
100061 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented
method for
providing access to a virtual meeting platform, the method comprising:
receiving, at a processor,
login data and course identification data, the login data representing an
observer user, the course
identification data being associated with a participant user; and presenting
to the observer user, at
an output device, a session corresponding to the course identification data
for a pre-determined
duration, upon receiving a request for the same.
[0007] In some embodiments, the session comprises an audio output and a video
output.
[0008] In some embodiments, the pre-determined duration is ten minutes.
100091 In some embodiments, the method further includes presenting a
notification to a
presenting user associated with the course identification data upon presenting
to the temporary
user the session, the notification being an alert that the temporary user is
presented with the session.
[0010] In some embodiments, the method further includes the presenting for two
or more
successive times.
100111 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented
method for
searching a virtual meeting platform, the method including: receiving, at a
processor, scheduling
data associated with a user; performing a search on one or more course data
structures for one or
more courses matching the scheduling data to return each matching course, the
one or more course
data structures each storing course data; and presenting to the user, at an
output device, each
matching course.
[0012] In some embodiments, the scheduling data includes at least one date and
at least one time.
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[0013] In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving, at the
processor,
geolocation data associated with the user; and updating the scheduling data
based on the
geolocation data and before the matching is performed.
[0014] In some embodiments, the method further includes: performing a search
on the one or
more course data structures for each similar course, each similar course
within a threshold
difference in scheduling than is represented by the scheduling data; and
presenting to the user,
at the output device, each similar course.
[0015] In some embodiments, the matching is an identical match.
100161 In some embodiments, the matching is an overlapping match.
100171 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented
method for a
virtual meeting platform with a multi-language feature, the method including:
receiving from each
of at least one user, at a processor, a first user input denoting an audio
output language and a second
user input denoting a caption output language; receiving from a presenting
user, at a processor, a
presenting user input denoting an audio input language; for each user,
converting an audio input
from the presenting user to an audio output in the audio output language of
the user and presenting
the audio output to the user at an output device; and for each user,
converting the audio input from
the presenting user to a caption output in the caption output language of the
user and presenting
the caption output to the user at the output device.
[0018] In some embodiments, the method further includes: authenticating each
user and at least
one presenting user using account login; permitting access by each user and
each presenting user
to a virtual session of a course; and receiving input from at least one
presenting user and
transmitting output to each user based on the input.
[0019] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented
system for
providing access to a virtual meeting platform, the system comprising: at
least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory memory storing computer-executable instructions
which, when
executed, cause the at least one processor to perform a method, the method
comprising: receiving,
at a processor, login data and course identification data, the login data
representing an observer
user, the course identification data being associated with a participant user;
and presenting to the
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observer user, at an output device, a session corresponding to the course
identification data for a
pre-determined duration, upon receiving a request for the same.
[0020] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a non-transitory
computer readable
medium storing a set of machine-interpretable instructions, which, when
executed, cause a
processor to perform a method for providing access to a virtual meeting
platform, the method
comprising: receiving, at a processor, login data and course identification
data, the login data
representing an observer user, the course identification data being associated
with a participant
user; and presenting to the observer user, at an output device, a session
corresponding to the course
identification data for a pre-determined duration, upon receiving a request
for the same.
100211 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented
system for
searching a virtual meeting platform, the system comprising: at least one
processor; and at least
one non-transitory memory storing computer-executable instructions which, when
executed, cause
the at least one processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving, at a processor,
scheduling data associated with a user; performing a search on one or more
course data structures
for one or more courses matching the scheduling data to return each matching
course, the one or
more course data structures each storing course data; and presenting to the
user, at an output device,
each matching course.
100221 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a non-transitory
computer readable
medium storing a set of machine-interpretable instructions, which, when
executed, cause a
processor to perform a method for searching a virtual meeting platform, the
method comprising:
receiving, at a processor, scheduling data associated with a user; performing
a search on one or
more course data structures for one or more courses matching the scheduling
data to return each
matching course, the one or more course data structures each storing course
data; and presenting
to the user, at an output device, each matching course.
100231 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented
system for a
virtual meeting platform with a multi-language feature, the system comprising:
at least one
processor; and at least one non-transitory memory storing computer-executable
instructions which,
when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform a method, the
method comprising:
receiving from each of at least one user, at a processor, a first user input
denoting an audio output
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language and a second user input denoting a caption output language; receiving
from a presenting
user, at a processor, a presenting user input denoting an audio input
language; for each user,
converting an audio input from the presenting user to an audio output in the
audio output language
of the user and presenting the audio output to the user at an output device;
and for each user,
converting the audio input from the presenting user to a caption output in the
caption output
language of the user and presenting the caption output to the user at the
output device.
[0024] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a non-transitory
computer readable
medium storing a set of machine-interpretable instructions, which, when
executed, cause a
processor to perform a method for a virtual meeting platform with a multi-
language feature, the
method comprising: receiving from each of at least one user, at a processor, a
first user input
denoting an audio output language and a second user input denoting a caption
output language;
receiving from a presenting user, at a processor, a presenting user input
denoting an audio input
language; for each user, converting an audio input from the presenting user to
an audio output in
the audio output language of the user and presenting the audio output to the
user at an output
device; and for each user, converting the audio input from the presenting user
to a caption output
in the caption output language of the user and presenting the caption output
to the user at the output
device.
100251 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented
method for
navigating a virtual meeting platform, comprising the steps of: registering an
instructor user,
wherein the instructor user uploads course content data and course scheduling
data to create a
course database containing course offerings; registering a student user,
wherein the student user
enters a search term, a target day, and a target time into a search interface;
determining a student
user time zone from student user geolocation data and an instructor user time
zone from
instructor user geolocation data; converting the target day and the target
time to Coordinated
Universal Time based on the student user time zone to produce a target
universal day and a target
universal time; converting the course scheduling data in the course database
to Coordinated
Universal Time based on the instructor user time zone to produce universal
course scheduling
data; generating a list of course offerings from the course offerings in the
course database based
on at least partial matching of the search term to the course content data or
of the target universal
day or the target universal time to the universal course scheduling data;
registering the student
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user for a preferred course offering from the list of course offerings;
attending a virtual session
for the preferred course offering, wherein at least the student user attends
the virtual session at a
session timeslot based on the universal course scheduling data for the
preferred course offering;
and translating the virtual session into a language of fluency.
100261 In some embodiments, the geolocation data is an IP address.
100271 In some embodiments, the list of course offerings presents a
prioritized display based
on a matching algorithm that determines a degree of matching between the
search term and the
course content data or the target universal day or the target universal time
and the universal
course scheduling data.
100281 In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of
suggesting a popular
search term to the student user.
[0029] In some embodiments, the search term, the target day, or the target
time are entered into
the search interface using a dropdown search term menu, a dropdown target day
menu, or a
dropdown target time menu.
[0030] In some embodiments, the list of course offerings is filtered based on
a key term filter,
a day filter, a time filter, or a level of complexity filter.
100311 In some embodiments, both the student user and the instructor user
attend the virtual
session at the session timeslot in real-time.
[0032] In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of the
instructor user or
the student user selecting the language of fluency using a dropdown language
menu.
100331 In some embodiments, translating the virtual session into the language
of fluency
occurs by translating audio or text from the virtual session into the language
of fluency.
[0034] In some embodiments, translating the virtual session into the language
of fluency uses
SubRip Subtitle files or Web Video Text Tracks Format.
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[0035] In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of providing
descriptive
audio or descriptive text in the language of fluency for the virtual session.
[0036] In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of the
student user
grading the instructor user based on the virtual session.
100371 In some embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of:
registering an
administrator user and registering an observer user, wherein the observer user
has permission-
based access to observe the virtual session at the session timeslot for an
observation duration set
by the administrator user; and ejecting the observer user from the virtual
session upon expiry of
the observation duration.
100381 In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of the
observer user
grading the instructor user based on the virtual session.
[0039] In some embodiments, the observer user surreptitiously accesses and
observes the
virtual session.
100401 In some embodiments, the observation duration is a maximum of 10
minutes.
[0041] In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of the
observer user
leaving and rejoining the virtual session.
100421 In some embodiments, the virtual session includes whiteboard
functionality, audio or
video support, text-based messaging, audio messaging, emojis, coursework
options, examination
or testing functionality, educational grading options, downloadable files,
adaptive learning
resources, or online security measures.
100431 In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a non-transient
computer-readable
medium containing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a
computer
processor, perform a method for navigating a virtual meeting platform,
comprising the steps of:
registering an instructor user, wherein the instructor user uploads course
content data and course
scheduling data to create a course database containing course offerings;
registering a student
user, wherein the student user enters a search term, a target day, and a
target time into a search
interface; determining a student user time zone from student user geolocation
data and an
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instructor user time zone from instructor user geolocation data; converting
the target day and the
target time to Coordinated Universal Time based on the student user time zone
to produce a
target universal day and a target universal time; converting the course
scheduling data in the
course database to Coordinated Universal Time based on the instructor user
time zone to produce
universal course scheduling data; generating a list of course offerings from
the course offerings
in the course database based on at least partial matching of the search term
to the course content
data or of the target universal day or the target universal time to the
universal course scheduling
data; registering the student user for a preferred course offering from the
list of course offerings;
attending a virtual session for the preferred course offering, wherein at
least the student user
attends the virtual session at a session timeslot based on the universal
course scheduling data for
the preferred course offering; and translating the virtual session into a
language of fluency.
[0044] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a computer system for
navigating a
virtual meeting platform, comprising: an instructor device; a student device;
a session routing
server; a computer communication network; and wherein the instructor device is
configured to
communicate with the session routing server over the computer communication
network to
register an instructor user, provide instructor user geolocation data, and
upload course content
data and course scheduling data to create a course database containing course
offerings; wherein
the student device is configured to communicate with the session routing
server over the
computer communication network to register a student user, provide student
user geolocation
data, and enter a search term, a target day, or a target time into a search
interface; wherein the
session routing server is configured to determine a student user time zone
from the student user
geolocation data and an instructor user time zone from the instructor user
geolocation data,
convert the target day and the target time to Coordinated Universal Time based
on the student
user time zone to produce a target universal day and a target universal time,
convert the course
scheduling data in the course database to Coordinated Universal Time based on
the instructor
user time zone to produce universal course scheduling data, and generate a
list of course
offerings from the course offerings in the course database based on at least
partial matching of
the search term to the course content data or of the target universal day or
the target universal
time to the universal course scheduling data; wherein the student device is
configured to register
the student user for a preferred course offering from the list of course
offerings; wherein at least
the student device is configured for the student user to attend a virtual
session for the preferred
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course offering at a session timeslot based on the universal course scheduling
data for the
preferred course offering; and wherein the session routing server is
configured to translate the
virtual session into a language of fluency.
[0045] In an embodiment, there is a virtual meeting platform that provides
users with access to
a variety of virtual education resources.
100461 According to an embodiment, there is provided a computer-implemented
method for
navigating a virtual meeting platform wherein instructors offer courses
through virtual sessions
that may be attended by students. Students can search the virtual meeting
platform using any
combination of key terms, a day, or a time. The virtual meeting platform uses
a Coordinated
Universal Time (UTC) conversion and matching algorithm in conjunction with
geolocation data
to match a target day and target time identified by a student in a search to
the time at which a
course is offered by an instructor. In this regard, scheduling is provided in
a manner that
accounts for the student and instructor possibly operating from different time
zones. Language-
free training is provided by a user selecting a language of fluency that a
session or materials are
then translated into. According to an embodiment, there is provided a non-
transient computer-
readable medium containing computer readable instructions which, when executed
by a
computer processor, perform the same computer-implemented method. According to
an
embodiment, a computer system comprising an instructor device, a student
device, a session
routing server, and a computer communication network is provided to perform
the same
computer-implemented method.
100471 According to further embodiments, geolocation data may be an IP address
of a user and
course offerings may be displayed to a user conducting a search in a manner
that prioritizes the
visibility of courses with a higher degree of similarity to a searched key
term, day, or time.
Popular search terms may be suggested to users in the search interface and the
search term, the
day, or the time entered in a search may be entered using dropdown menus.
Search results may
be filtered based upon various criteria, including text, day, time, or level
of complexity of a
course. A session may be offered in real-time wherein both student and
instructor attend a virtual
session, prerecorded by an instructor for access at the student's convenience,
or a combination of
real-time instruction and prerecorded content. Selecting the language of
fluency may be done
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using a dropdown menu and translation of a virtual session may include
translating audio or text
into the language of fluency and may be accompanied by descriptive audio or
descriptive text or
guiding imagery. Translation may incorporate the use of SubRip Subtitle files
or Web Video
Text Tracks Format. Users may grade one another based on virtual sessions,
especially students
or parents of students grading the quality of an instructor based on a virtual
session provided by
the instructor.
[0048] According to an embodiment, observer users may have permission-based
access to
observe the virtual session provided to another user. For example, an observer
user may be a
parent who wishes to observe the virtual session of their child.
Administrators may set a
maximum observation duration for a virtual session or a type of virtual
session that limits how
long an observer user can observe such a session before being automatically
ejected from the
session. Observer users may grade an instructor based on their performance in
a virtual session.
Observer users may surreptitiously join and observe virtual sessions, such
that no other user
attending the virtual session is aware of the observer user's presence. In
this regard, observer
users may assess a session without their act of observation biasing how any
other attending party
acts. Observer users may leave and rejoin a session multiple times, and
administrator users may
set the maximum observation duration to be approximately 10 minutes. A maximum
observation
duration may be set by an administrator user based on the virtual session in
its entirety (e.g. a 10
minute maximum for the entire virtual session) or a single round of an
observer user accessing a
session (e.g. a 2 minute maximum per access, wherein the session may be
accessed multiple
times).
100491 According to embodiments, the virtual meeting platform may feature
whiteboard
functionality, audio or video support, text-based messaging, audio messaging,
emojis,
coursework options, examination or testing functionality, educational grading
options,
downloadable files, adaptive learning resources, or online security measures.
100501 Other aspects and features according to the present application will
become apparent to
those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description
of embodiments in
conjunction with the accompanying figures.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0051] Embodiments may better be understood with reference to the accompanying
figures
provided by way of illustration of an exemplary embodiment, or embodiments,
and in which:
100521 FIGs. 1(a) to 1(c) show a search interface featuring a key term search
box, a dropdown
menu of days, and a dropdown menu of timeslots, according to an embodiment;
[0053] FIG. 1(d) shows how search results may be displayed and filtered,
according to an
embodiment;
100541 FIG. 2 shows how instructor users may assign timeslots to a course,
according to an
embodiment;
[0055] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart detailing the steps for a teacher user in
adding and scheduling
a course and for a student user in searching for a course, according to an
embodiment;
100561 FIG. 4 shows a flowchart detailing the steps for a teacher user in
adding and scheduling
a course and for a student user in searching for a course wherein a
Coordinated Universal Time
conversion is incorporated to match the student user's search with the teacher
user's course
scheduling, according to an embodiment;
100571 FIGs. 5(a) to 5(c) show video players with dropdown menus that permit
users to select
a preferred language option, according to an embodiment;
[0058] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart detailing how an administrator user may set an
observer
duration such that a parent user can observe a webinar provided by a teacher
user to a student
user for no longer than the observer duration, according to an embodiment; and
100591
FIG. 7, 8(a), 8(b), 9, 10(a), 10(b), 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,
17, 18, 19, and
20 are illustrations of example implementations of aspects of example virtual
meeting platforms,
according to some embodiments.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0060] The description that follows, and the embodiments described therein,
are provided by
way of illustration of an example, or examples, of particular embodiments.
These examples are
provided for the purposes of explanation, and not of limitation. The drawings
are not necessarily
to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order
to more clearly to
depict certain features.
[0061] Online platforms are not without their challenges and limitations.
Learning in a virtual
environment can be impeded where the online platform fails to provide the same
quality of
substantive education that would otherwise be available through attending a
brick-and-mortar
learning session. For example, students may be inattentive during online
lectures and online
instructors may more easily avoid supervisory checks on competence.
100621 The online platform itself may also be unwieldly for users and
instructors alike. In this
regard, even if the instructors and course content being offered are of the
same quality as that
offered through in-person sessions, prospective students may not be able to
access such content.
This may result in prospective students not discovering learning
opportunities, such as online
lectures, that are pertinent to their interests or academic needs or may
inadvertently result in
students constructing unwieldy timetables because of a lack of transparency
into course offerings
or scheduling options.
[0063] In some embodiments, the virtual meeting platform can be referred to as
a virtual live
education and training platform.
100641 In some embodiments, a virtual meeting platform implements a computer-
implemented
method for providing access to the virtual meeting platform, the method
including receiving, at a
processor, login data and course identification data, the login data
representing an observer user,
the course identification data being associated with a participant user. The
observer user can be a
parent user, for example. The participant user can be a child of the parent
user, for example. This
can allow a parent user to enter into a session of a course that their child,
represented by the child
user, is attending or registered in. An association between the course
identification data and the
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participant user includes an association stored in a non-transient memory or
other data storage that
represents that the participant user is registered in the course or is
presently attending the course,
for example. The virtual meeting platform can be referred to as a learning
platform. The virtual
meeting platform is configured to accommodate any virtual meeting, such as
clients in walk-in
virtual clinic. Examples described herein may refer to parent, child,
instructor, student, or other
users. However, in various embodiments, these labels are not intended to be
limiting. For
example, a presenting user can be referred to herein as an instructor, an
observer user can be
referred to herein as a temporary entry user or a parent user, and a
participant user can be referred
to herein as a student or child.
100651 In some embodiments, the observer user can only enter into a session of
a virtual meeting
that another user is participating in. The relationship between the observer
user and such other
user can be defined in the respective account(s).
100661 The method further includes presenting to the observer user, at an
output device, a session
corresponding to the course identification data for a pre-determined duration,
upon receiving a
request for the same. The output device can be a speaker, a visual display, or
a combination of
same. A session can include an audio output and a video output or, in some
embodiments, one or
the other. A session can include text output. The outputs can be derived from
inputs received
from another user, such as from a presenting user providing inputs in
association with a particular
course represented by course identification data. For example, a presenting
user can login, select
a particular course, and provide audio, video, and/or other input to be
transmitted to participant
users registered in and/or attending the course. The input(s) can be processed
and, after processing
if processed, are transmitted to the participant users and any observer users
who have requested to
enter the presentation (e.g., be presented with a session comprising the
output from the course).
[0067] Video output can include a whiteboard feature. A presenter user can
select user interface
elements accessible via an application permitting access to the virtual
meeting platform and draw
on or otherwise update a virtual whiteboard. The virtual whiteboard is
presented to each
participant user (and any temporary entry users attending) with the updated
virtual whiteboard in
real time. The users can view the virtual whiteboard as it is being drawn on
or otherwise updated
in real time.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

14
[0068] The session presented to the observer user is separate from a session
accessible by the
participant user. For example, an observer user accesses an output device that
provides audio
output and/or video output separately from an output device that provides
audio output and/or
video output to a participant user. One or more participant users can be
associated with the course
identification data, such that a course can have multiple participants
registered and/or attending at
a given time. The course identification data includes data representing an
identification of a
course, such as a unique identifier or course code. The processor is
configured to use the course
identification data to retrieve/receive and/or transmit input data
corresponding to the
corresponding course (e.g., instructor user or participant user audio input
and/or video input). The
course identification data is used to identify the relevant input data. The
processor is configured
to transmit the input data (e.g., after processing) over a session accessible
by one or more
participant users and/or one or more observer users. The participant user is
referred to herein as a
student user, but may not be a student. The observer user can participate in a
session, according
to some embodiments. The observer feature can be referred to herein as a barge-
in feature, and
the observer duration can be referred to herein as a barge-in duration.
[0069] Transmission of data can be over a network, such as a local network or
a network
connecting remote computers. References to a processor include one or more
processors operating
collectively to perform the described function. References to an output device
or to an input device
include one or more devices operating collectively to perform the described
function.
[0070] The virtual meeting platform is configured to provide logins for
separate account access,
receipt and authentication of login data, and differing functionality
accessible by different
accounts.
[0071] In some embodiments, the pre-determined duration is ten minutes. In
some
embodiments, the pre-determined duration is another duration of time, such as
the duration of the
course or presentation. A pre-determined duration can be referred to herein as
an observer
duration.
[0072] In some embodiments, the method further includes performing the
presenting for two or
more successive times. For example, the observer user can request that a
session be presented to
themselves more than once, such as while a course is being presented to
participant user(s).
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

15
[0073] In some embodiments, the method further includes presenting a
notification to a
presenting user associated with the course identification data upon presenting
to the temporary
user the session, the notification being an alert that the temporary user is
presented with the session.
The presenting user is referred to herein as an instructor user, but may not
be an instructor. The
notification can be a visual alert, an audio alert, and/or combination of
same. The notification type
can be configured by the presenting user or an administrator user via virtual
meeting platform. An
association between the course identification data and the presenting user
includes an association
stored in a non-transient memory or other data storage that represents that
the presenting user is
authorized to present during the course, for example.
100741 In some embodiments, the virtual meeting platform implements a computer-
implemented
method for searching the virtual meeting platform, the method including:
receiving, at a processor,
scheduling data associated with a user; performing a search on one or more
course data structures
for one or more courses matching the scheduling data to return each matching
course, the one or
more course data structures each storing course data; and presenting to the
user, at an output device,
each matching course. In some embodiments, instead of courses, there are
meetings (which can
include a course) and references to a course herein are to be understood in
other embodiments as
instead a reference to a meeting, such as an appointment, a presentation, or a
live training session.
100751 The scheduling data can include date(s) and/or time(s). A date can be
denoted expressly
as a specific date, range of dates, or selection of dates; or as one or more
particular weekdays or
weekends, for example. Similarly, a time can be denoted expressly as a
specific time, range of
times, or selection of times, for example. A course data structure includes a
database or other
computer storage system. The course data structure can be local or remote. The
course data can
include course identification data, such as a unique course identifier,
representing a course or other
offering of a session(s) where a presenter user and a participant user can
join.
100761 The matching refers to: (i) an identical match where the scheduling
data includes a date
or a date and time that exactly matches a date or a date and time that a
course is offered; or (ii) an
overlapping match where the scheduling data includes a date or a date and time
that overlaps with
a date or a date and time that a course is offered.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

16
[0077] In some embodiments, the method implemented by the virtual meeting
platform further
includes: receiving, at the processor, geolocation data associated with the
user; and updating the
scheduling data based on the geolocation data and before the matching is
performed.
[0078] An association of scheduling data or of geolocation data with a user
includes storage in
a data structure of an association between same, receiving scheduling data or
geolocation data
from the user, receiving scheduling data or geolocation data about the user,
and the like. For
example, in some embodiments, virtual meeting platform is configured to
generate geolocation
data from the user's IP address and/or location.
100791 The updating of the scheduling data based on the geolocation data is
the conversion of
the scheduling data (or part thereof) to a standardized time, such as UTC. The
scheduling data, in
converted form, is then used in the matching to locate one or more courses
matching the scheduling
data, such as a course that is offered at the same time as a date and time
specified by the user.
100801 In some embodiments, such as where no matching course is found, the
virtual meeting
platform is configured to perform a search on the one or more course data
structures for each
similar course, each similar course within a threshold difference in
scheduling than is represented
by the scheduling data; and presenting to the user, at the output device, each
similar course. In
some embodiments, this search can be done with the search for matching
courses. In some
embodiments, both matching course(s) and similar course(s) are returned. In
some embodiments,
similar course(s) are only returned where no matching courses are found.
[0081] A similar course refers to a course that is within a threshold
difference in scheduling than
is represented by the scheduling data. The threshold difference in scheduling
can be represented
by an offset in date(s) and/or time(s) from date(s) and/or time(s) represented
by the scheduling
data. For example, a user can provide a date and a time for a search of
courses offered during that
date and time. A search for similar courses returns each course that is
offered at a near or similar
date and time as the date and the time specified by the user. For example, a
similar course can be
offered on the same date, but an hour later.
[0082] In some embodiments, the scheduling data includes data denoting a
course. For example,
a user can provide keyword terms to be matched with a course (e.g., course
name or course type
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

17
or course subject) in the course data structure(s), as well as date(s) and/or
time(s) to be used in the
matching in matching date(s) and/or time(s) that courses are offered. Matching
courses are those
having identical or overlapping date(s) and/or time(s) as well as having
identical or similar data
matching the keyword terms.
100831 In some embodiments, at least some of the scheduling data (e.g., date
and/or time data)
can be retrieved from the user's schedule as being date(s) and/or time(s) that
the user is not already
scheduled.
[0084] As another example, the virtual meeting platform is configured to start
a search based on
a time requested by the user and, if that time is not available for that
course, the search is broadened
to suggest other available times but to the nearest proximity of the requested
time.
[0085] In some embodiments, for example, the virtual meeting platform allows a
user to search
courses based on day and time according to their time zone. The user can
select course(s) based
on their available times. The time zone is matched according to UTC. The
search can use IP and
location data from the user. In particular, the search uses the IP address of
the user and, based on
that, adjusts the search to their time zone as per UTC. Then, the search looks
at the available
courses based on Course+Day+Time criteria provided by the user.
100861 In some embodiments, the virtual meeting platform implements a computer-
implemented
method with a multi-language feature, the method including: receiving from
each of at least one
user, at a processor, a first user input denoting an audio output language and
a second user input
denoting a caption output language; and receiving from a presenting user, at a
processor, a
presenting user input denoting an audio input language. For example, one or
more users can each
select or input data representing a language in which they wish to hear audio
and/or a language in
which they wish to read text. The languages can be the same or different
between users, as well
as the same or different between the desired language for audio and text for a
particular user. The
user can be a participant user or an observer user, for example. For each
user, the method further
includes converting an audio input from the presenting user to an audio output
in the audio output
language of the user and presenting the audio output to the user at an output
device. For example,
each presenting user (or the one presenting user, where there is only one),
can each select or input
data representing one or more languages that they will be presenting in, such
as through audio
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

18
input (e.g., speech via a connected microphone) or video input (e.g., video
captured via a camera;
video generated to depict a virtual whiteboard that the presenting user can
draw on; etc.) or text
input. The languages can be the same or different between each input type, as
well as between
different presenting users.
100871 As an example according to some embodiments, a student or participant
user selects the
language in which they wish to hear the audio from the instructor or presenter
user, as well as the
language in which they which to read captions. The presenter or instructor
user selects the
language in which they wish to present.
100881 For each user, the method further includes converting the audio input
from the presenting
user to a caption output in the caption output language of the user and
presenting the caption output
to the user at the output device. In some embodiments, other language
conversions between
various types of inputs to various types of outputs are possible.
100891 Each user can hear and/or read translated versions of the audio input
provided by a
presenting user in the user's chosen language(s).
[0090] In some embodiments, there is provided a virtual meeting platform
wherein students can
search for courses based on a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) conversion and
matching
algorithm, wherein course content is translated into a language of fluency
selected by a user, and
wherein some users have permission-based access to surreptitiously observe
learning sessions
between an instructor and student.
[0091] According to an embodiment, this description relates to a computer-
implemented method
for navigating a virtual meeting platform, comprising the steps of registering
an instructor user,
wherein the instructor user uploads course content data and course scheduling
data to create a
course database containing course offerings; registering a student user,
wherein the student user
enters a search term, a target day, and a target time into a search interface;
determining a student
user time zone from student user geolocation data and an instructor time zone
from instructor user
geolocation data; converting the target day and the target time to Coordinated
Universal Time
based on the student user time zone to produce a target universal day and a
target universal time;
converting the course scheduling data in the course database to Coordinated
Universal Time based
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

19
on the instructor user time zone to produce universal course scheduling data;
generating a list of
course offerings from the course offerings in the course database based on at
least partial matching
of the search term to the course content data or of the target universal day
or the target universal
time to the universal course scheduling data; registering the student user for
a preferred course
offering from the list of course offerings; attending a virtual session for
the preferred course
offering, wherein at least the student user attends the virtual session at a
session timeslot based on
the universal course scheduling data for the preferred course offering; and
translating the virtual
session into a language of fluency.
100921 According to embodiments, the present description relates to the
geolocation data being
an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The list of course offerings may be a
prioritized display based
on a matching algorithm that determines a degree of matching between the
search term and the
course content data or the target universal day or the target universal time
and the universal course
scheduling data. Embodiments may be further comprised of the step of
suggesting a popular search
term to the student user.
[0093] According to embodiments, the present description relates to the search
term, the target
day, or the target time being entered into the search interface using a
dropdown search term menu,
a dropdown target day menu, or a dropdown target time menu. The list of course
offerings may be
filtered based on a key term filter, a day filter, a time filter, or a level
of complexity filter. Both the
student user and the instructor user may attend the virtual session at the
session timeslot in real-
time. The virtual session may be comprised of prerecorded content for access
at the student's
convenience or may be comprised of a combination of real-time instruction and
prerecorded
content. The student user may grade the instructor user based on the virtual
session, such as by
grading the instructor on their communication skills, the quality of the
teaching provided in the
virtual session, or other comparable criteria.
100941 According to embodiments, the present description relates to the
instructor user or the
student user selecting the language of fluency using a dropdown language menu.
Translating the
virtual session into the language of fluency may occur by translating audio or
text from the virtual
session into the language of fluency and may use SubRip Subtitle files or Web
Video Text Tracks
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

20
Format. Embodiments may be further comprised of the step of providing
descriptive audio or
descriptive text in the language of fluency for the virtual session.
[0095] According to embodiments, the present description relates to the
further steps of
registering an administrator user and registering an observer user, wherein
the observer user has
permission-based access to observe the virtual session at the session timeslot
for an observation
duration set by the administrative user and ejecting the observer user from
the virtual session upon
expiry of the observation duration. Embodiments may be further comprised of
the step of the
observer user grading the instructor based on the virtual session or the
observer user leaving and
rejoining the virtual session. The observer user may surreptitiously access
and observe the virtual
session, such that the instructor user or student user are not notified that
the observer user has
joined the virtual session, and the observation duration may be a maximum of
10 minutes.
[0096] According to embodiments, the virtual session may include whiteboard
functionality,
audio or video support, text-based messaging, audio messaging, emojis,
coursework options,
examination or testing functionality, educational grading options,
downloadable files, adaptive
learning resources, or online security measures.
[0097] According to an embodiment, this description relates to a non-transient
computer-
readable medium containing computer-readable instructions which, when executed
by a computer
processor, perform a method for navigating a virtual meeting platform,
comprising the steps of
registering an instructor user, wherein the instructor user uploads course
content data and course
scheduling data to create a course database containing course offerings;
registering a student user,
wherein the student user enters a search term, a target day, and a target time
into a search interface;
determining a student user time zone from student user geolocation data and an
instructor time
zone from instructor user geolocation data; converting the target day and the
target time to
Coordinated Universal Time based on the student user time zone to produce a
target universal day
and a target universal time; converting the course scheduling data in the
course database to
Coordinated Universal Time based on the instructor user time zone to produce
universal course
scheduling data; generating a list of course offerings from the course
offerings in the course
database based on at least partial matching of the search term to the course
content data or of the
target universal day or the target universal time to the universal course
scheduling data; registering
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

21
the student user for a preferred course offering from the list of course
offerings; attending a virtual
session for the preferred course offering, wherein at least the student user
attends the virtual session
at a session timeslot based on the universal course scheduling data for the
preferred course
offering; and translating the virtual session into a language of fluency.
100981 According to an embodiment, this description relates to a computer
system for navigating
a virtual meeting platform, comprising an instructor device; a student device;
a session routing
server; a computer communication network; wherein the instructor device is
configured to
communicate with the session routing server over the computer communication
network to register
an instructor user, provide instructor user geolocation data, and upload
course content data and
course scheduling data to create a course database containing course
offerings; wherein the student
device is configured to communicate with the session routing server over the
computer
communication network to register a student user, provide student user
geolocation data, and enter
a search term, a target day, or a target time into a search interface; wherein
the session routing
server is configured to determine a student user time zone from the student
user geolocation data
and an instructor user time zone from the instructor user geolocation data,
convert the target day
and the target time to Coordinated Universal Time based on the student user
time zone to produce
a target universal day and a target universal time, convert the course
scheduling data in the course
database to Coordinated Universal Time based on the instructor user time zone
to produce
universal course scheduling data, and generate a list of course offerings from
the course offerings
in the course database based on at least partial matching of the search term
to the course content
data or of the target universal day or the target universal time to the
universal course scheduling
data; wherein the student device is configured to register the student user
for a preferred course
offering from the list of course offerings; wherein at least the student
device is configured for the
student user to attend a virtual session for the preferred course offering at
a session timeslot based
on the universal course scheduling data for the preferred course offering; and
wherein the session
routing server is configured to translate the virtual session into a language
of fluency.
Course Navigation and Standardizing Scheduling
[0099] Accessibility is an invaluable part of a quality education.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

22
[00100] With the growth of information technology infrastructure, many
colleges, universities,
and other teaching service providers have shifted to online means of
scheduling and registering
for courses. However, online search and scheduling interfaces offer limited
search functionality
that can make it difficult for prospective students to canvas, identify, and
register for courses of
interest. The inability to navigate an education service provider's web site
in a way that directs
users towards relevant courses materially interferes with the accessibility of
such educational
services. Furthermore, users may be unable to find subject-specific courses
that fit their
timetables despite courses being offered at compatible timeslots strictly
because of poor user
interface design and search functionality.
1001011 This can be especially problematic where courses are offered remotely,
since parties
interested in educational services may be in different time zones or may be
most fluent in a
language that the online platform does not inherently offer as a language
option in browsing and
navigation or for which there is no course content.
1001021 According to an embodiment, a virtual meeting platform allows users to
search courses
based on the specific day and time per the time zone a user resides in or is
operating from. A user
can input search terms or select a preferred or particular day and time for a
course of interest and
then receive search results corresponding to the day and time search input,
thus giving the user
the power to select courses based on their available timings.
[00103] According to an embodiment, the search uses the IP address of the user
to adjust the
search to the user's time zone per Coordinated Universal Time. According to an
embodiment, the
IP address or location corresponding to a user may be used in determining a
user's time zone.
According to a further embodiment, a user's location may be identified from
geo-location data
inputted by or automatically collected from a user.
[00104] According to an embodiment, a search of learning materials is based on
key terms, day,
or time. In this regard, a user's search may be based in part on the IP
address or location of the
user and the search may be adjusted to the user's time zone as per UTC,
thereby providing
learning options based on a combination of descriptive key terms for a course,
universal day
criteria, or universal time criteria.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

23
[00105] The use of descriptive key terms in conjunction with day and time data
provides users
with more control in planning their timetable, since a user can assess in the
earliest stages of their
search whether courses offering subject matter of interest are available at a
time compatible with
the user's other duties and routines. Allowing users to include day and time
search terms permits
users to avoid timing conflicts, since conflicting or otherwise undesirable
timeslots would either
not be shown among the search results or be displayed as a lower priority
option.
[00106] According to a further embodiment, a search may be broadened if a
requested day or
time is unavailable for specific subject matter or if there is a scheduling
conflict. In this regard, a
search for a specific day and time may be broadened to suggest other available
days or times
corresponding to subject matter of interest or similar subject matter.
According to a further
embodiment, the other available days or times suggested to a user may be days
or times near or
nearest to the requested day and time. Such a search permits users to navigate
learning materials
more meaningfully, in that if an initial search returns no results compatible
with a user's
timetable, the virtual meeting platform can direct the user towards other
suitable courses or
timeslots that may be available, compatible, or convenient in view of a user's
schedule.
[00107] In some embodiments, a user is able to search for desired courses,
such as by typing in
search terms. A user can select specific days or times (e.g., weekdays) in
combination with
keyword terms selected or otherwise provided in a search area. A user can
search for the best
suitable timeslot, such as based on their own schedule. These timeslots can be
provided and
include a time range, for example.
1001081 According to an embodiment shown in FIGs. 1(a) to 1(d), a search box
1100 may be
provided to a user for entering subject-specific key terms with popular search
suggestions 1200
possibly being provided to help with course navigation. A dropdown menu of
days 1300 may be
selected by a user to refine search criteria based on a preferred day of the
week, whereas a
dropdown menu of timeslots 1400 may be selected to refine search criteria
based on a preferred
timeslot. As shown in FIG. 1(d), search results may be shown and filtered
based on the days
1500 on which a course is available, the level of complexity 1600 of a course,
or other criteria.
[00109] According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 2, instructors may add
courses and set
available timeslots 2100. Such input from instructors is then used to set up a
matching algorithm
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24
that directs users towards courses that are not only relevant to subject
matter of interest, but
which also correspond to preferred dates and times.
[00110] According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a teacher user 3100 may
add course data
3110, like a course name and description, along with scheduling data 3120,
like a date and time.
A student user 3200 may then conduct a search 3210 using a course name input
3220 and day
and time input 3230. A matching decision 3300 may then be made to either
confirm 3310 a
match and provide search result data in the form of a course at a suitable
time 3320 or identify
3330 that no appropriately matching course has been found 3340.
100111] According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 4, teacher user input 4100
may be
comprised of a location-based registration 4110, timings and time zone 4120,
and course details
4130 to create a time and course database 4200. Student user search input 4300
may be used in a
search 4400 wherein data pertaining to a student's IP address from browsing
4310 is converted
into location data 4320 and used in conjunction with a day and time query 4330
to generate a
UTC conversion 4340, which is used in conjunction with a course text query
4350 to generate an
HTTP request 4500 and the search 4400. A matching decision 4600 is then made
based on the
search 4400 and the time and course database 4200 to either confirm 4610 a
match and provide
search result data in the form of a course list 4620 or identify 4630 that no
appropriately
matching course has been found 4640.
Language-Free Training
[00112] Bridging language barriers is an ongoing challenge in offering
educational content with
a global reach. While a virtual meeting platform may be visited by users from
around the world,
the accessibility of substantive learning materials made available through
such a platform will
nonetheless be limited by a user's fluency in the language such materials are
provided in.
[00113] Thus, in making virtual meeting platforms more accessible to a broader
audience it is
paramount to provide language-free training.
1001141 According to an embodiment, language-free training is provided wherein
a user selects
a language of fluency that a session or materials are to be translated into.
Such a user may be an
instructor or a student, in that either may select a language that learning
materials or teaching
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25
sessions are translated into. In this regard, a student who wishes to take a
course offered in a
language the student is not fluent in can select a language of fluency and the
virtual meeting
platform translates learning materials or session content into the student's
selected language of
fluency. Conversely, an instructor may wish to reach a broacher audience of
prospective students
and make themselves available to students whose fluency is in a language other
than a language
of fluency for the instructor. The instructor may then select a language of
fluency and the virtual
meeting platform translates learning materials or session content into the
instructor's selected
language of fluency.
1001151 For example, in some embodiments, the virtual meeting platform
includes a multi-
language feature. When a student user begins a course, they will have the
option to select the
language they want to hear as well as the language shown in captions. The
virtual meeting
platform can convert speech from audio input, such as from an instructor user,
to text in a
different language. Similarly, an instructor user can select a language other
than the language
they are providing instruction in, and the virtual meeting platform is
configured to convert
speech and/or text input from the instructor to one or more different
languages and provide same
to student users, according to some embodiments.
1001161 According to an embodiment, translation of learning materials or
session content may
occur by converting audio input provided in one language into audio output in
another language.
According to an embodiment, translation of learning materials or session
content may occur by
converting audio input provided in one language into visual text output in
another language, or
vice versa. According to an embodiment, translation of learning materials or
session content may
occur by converting any combination of audio or visual text input provided in
one language into
any combination of audio or visual text output in another language. According
to an
embodiment, guiding commentary or imagery may accompany translated learning
materials or
session content to assist with a user's understanding thereof.
1001171 According to an embodiment, application program interfaces (APIs) are
used to
incorporate a multi-language translation feature into the virtual meeting
platform.
[00118] According to an embodiment, the virtual meeting platform is compliant
with all
guidelines set by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
(AODA), Americans with
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26
Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C.
794d), and the Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines, particularly versions 2.x and above. In
embodiments, this
applies for both descriptive audio and closed captioning or subtitles for
those who are visual or
hearing impaired. According to an embodiment, if an audio file is to be made
accessible, a
transcript may be provided and used by the creator of the audio file.
1001191 According to an embodiment, translated audio and subtitles may be
created by adding
subtitle or translated audio files to learning materials, including videos.
Multilingual audio may
be recorded and mixed within a video or provided as an option to select a
language of choice as
embedded captions. Embodiments may use video players like JW Player or
Brightcove, which
both support descriptive and multilingual audio and closed captioning.
[00120] According to an embodiment, multilingual features may be provided by
using SubRip
Subtitle (SRT) files and Web Video Text Tracks Format (WebVTT) to display
subtitles in
different languages which are supported by modern HTML5 video and others.
Subtitle parts may
be included with the source video file into files with language options (like
English, French,
Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, etc.) which a video player can support. With
this, the user can
click on a configurable menu for audio and video such that the user can select
the language of the
subtitles in a dropdown menu. For multilingual audio, a similar process is
applied to create files
but with audio, with such files ultimately being included with the video so
users can choose from
various language options, like English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese,
etc. According to
embodiments shown in FIGs. 5(a) to 5(c), video players 5100, 5200, and 5300
are used to
provide learning materials and each may have a dropdown menu 5110, 5210, or
5310 that
permits users to select a preferred language option for learning content to be
translated into.
According to an embodiment, the virtual meeting platform may use a custom
video player that
may be scalable.
Incorporating Parental Supervision and Review
1001211 A high-quality education depends greatly upon having high quality
instructors.
[00122] Traditionally, a brick-and-mortar institution like a college or
university may use a
vetting procedure that includes reviewing an applicant's education, work
experience, references,
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

27
and various other materials in conjunction with interviews to determine
whether an applicant
should be retained as an instructor. While virtual meeting platforms may
incorporate some
similar vetting procedures, many virtual meeting platforms can lack the
capacity to vet each
applicant with the same degree of granularity as a college or university.
Accordingly, virtual
meeting platforms may place greater weight on other factors, like the
relevance and extent of an
applicant's work experience, to supplement the vetting process. It may also
not be cost effective
for a virtual meeting platform to invest the time and resources into vetting
each applicant so
thoroughly when other more efficient means of identifying and retaining high-
quality instructors
are available.
1001231 According to an embodiment, a virtual meeting platform provides a
means of reviewing
the quality of an instructor. According to a further embodiment, the means of
reviewing the
quality of an instructor is based at least in part on the instructor's
performance in a learning
session as observed by a user.
1001241 In preventing misuse of audio and video features during a learning
session, permitting a
user to observe a learning session for the purpose of evaluating the quality
of an instructor can be
an effective means of identifying and removing poor quality or abusive
instructors. Widespread
observation of instructors across learning sessions allows observers to
provide meaningful
feedback pertaining to the instructor's abilities and how to correct
shortcomings in instructor
performance.
[00125] According to an embodiment, a user can enter into an ongoing learning
session without
disturbing the session. Such an observer feature permits the observer user to
see and watch the
session, providing comfort and an idea of how the session is being conducted.
Such sessions may
include video and audio feeds, such that an observer user has access to the
same video and audio
content that a student is receiving in a learning session. In embodiments
where a user can enter
into an ongoing session, instructors may be aware that their activity is
monitorable and,
consequently, may be motivated to provide higher quality teaching services or
otherwise avoid
misusing the virtual meeting platform.
[00126] According to an embodiment, an observer feature permits an observer
user to observe a
learning session without notifying an instructor or student that the session
is being observed. If
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

28
an instructor is aware that their actions are being monitored in real-time,
they may change their
conduct while being observed to avoid being reprimanded. Such instructors may
nonetheless
provide lower quality teaching services or abuse the audio or video features
of a virtual meeting
platform when not being observed. Thus, embodiments wherein an observer
feature does not
notify session attendees of the presence of the observer user can be an
invaluable tool in
accurately assessing the performance of an instructor and ensuring instructors
provide a
consistent quality of service.
[00127] According to an embodiment, an observer feature may be subject to a
maximum
duration. Such a maximum duration may be defined in terms of an overall
maximum observer
duration for a particular learning session or as a maximum observer duration
for a single use of
the observer feature, such that a user wishing to observe a learning session
may enter a session
multiple times with each instance being subject to a separate maximum
duration. According to a
further embodiment, an observer user can observe a session for a maximum of 10
minutes,
possibly in multiple accesses for a virtual session.
[00128] According to an embodiment, an observer user may be a parental user.
Since many
students may be less than 18 years of age, parental observation of learning
sessions can be an
important tool in ensuring student success. In embodiments where the observer
feature permits
observer users to surreptitiously observe a learning session, such users can
assess an instructor's
teaching style and determine whether the instructor is meeting their child's
learning needs or if
any adjustments to the instructor's teaching style or content are appropriate.
The observer feature
may be embodied by providing parents with a separate login, with such a login
being for a
parent-user account providing observer access to the learning sessions of the
parent's child.
[00129] According to an embodiment, an observer user may provide feedback or
grade an
instructor based at least in part on a virtual session. According to a further
embodiment, such
feedback or grading may be used to at least partly determine an instructor's
compensation.
1001301 According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a teacher user 6100 may
add a course
6110, set up a webinar 6120, and issue a notification 6130 to a student user
6200 to decide
whether to join 6210 a live webinar 6140 initialized 6150 by a teacher 6100.
If a student user
6200 confirms 6220 intent to join a live webinar 6140, the teacher user 6100
and student user
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29
6200 may chat 6160 via text-based messages, talk 6170 using audio, or
otherwise express 6180
themselves through other means of communication or view 6190 course content
until
automatically exiting 6300 the live webinar 6140. An administrator user 6400
may set an
observer duration 6410 applicable to a live webinar 6140 and after the expiry
of which a user
will automatically exit 6300 the live webinar 6140. Such a user may be a
parent user 6500 who
may also receive a notification 6130 from a teacher user 6100 to decide 6510
whether to join a
live webinar 6140. If the parental user 6500 wishes to join 6520 a live
webinar, they can access
the live webinar 6140 and may view 6190 course content. In setting permissions
for a parental
user 6500 relative to a student user 6200 for whom the parental user 6500 may
enter into a live
webinar 6140, it may be decided 6530 whether the student user 6200 is under 18
years of age
and, if the student user 6200 is confirmed 6540 as under 18 years of age, a
parental user 6500
may be granted permission to decide 6510 whether to join a live webinar 6140.
1001311 According to an alternative embodiment, a parental user or other party
wishing to
review learning materials that are not offered in real-time may enter into a
learning session to
observe how a student is interacting with learning materials.
Virtual meeting platform Features
1001321 According to an embodiment, the virtual meeting platform provides
users with access
to a variety of virtual education resources to reproduce the feeling of in-
class learning and
interaction. According to embodiments, learning sessions may include
interactive whiteboard
functionality, audio or video support for content delivery, direct group
interaction, directed and
taught coursework options, or examination or testing functionality with or
without grading
options. Learning content may be downloaded by users to local storage and
privacy and online
security measures may be provided to ensure safe use of the virtual meeting
platform.
[00133] According to an embodiment, the virtual meeting platform may generally
focus on
providing vocational training with expert teachers and with a global reach.
Embodiments may
emphasize real-time instruction or parental monitoring of student performance.
In this regard, the
virtual meeting platform can emphasize the acquisition of real-world skills
pertinent to
occupations of interest for users. Courses may also be directed to general
skill or knowledge
acquisition pertinent to a user's hobbies or personal interests. According to
an embodiment,
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30
courses may focus on topics such as learning software QA automation, lesson
planning, anti-
racism, cooking, Python programming, artificial intelligence, PHP scripting,
WordPress, mental
health, app development, science, engineering, law, learning a language,
social studies, math,
animal care, marketing, programming, computer technology, or history, among
others.
1001341 According to an embodiment, the virtual meeting platform may
incorporate an
instructor grading system, wherein student and parental feedback is at least
partly determinative
of the quality of an instructor. According to a further embodiment, a
determination of the quality
of an instructor may be used in determining at least in part an instructor's
compensation.
1001351 According to yet a further embodiment, compensation to an instructor
may be monetary
or provided by way of promotional benefits on the virtual meeting platform,
such that a high-
quality instructor is provided with more exposure to prospective students,
such as by increasing
the visibility of the instructor's profile or course offerings on the virtual
meeting platform.
1001361 According to an embodiment, the virtual meeting platform may offer
knowledge or
skill-based courses. Embodiments may feature a fixed curriculum or provide
adaptive learning
using paced learning, live webinars, or other learning materials that match
user learning style.
Learning materials may be provided for businesses, corporate training, post-
secondary learning,
or general knowledge or skill acquisition.
1001371 FIG. 7, 8(a), 8(b), 9, 10(a), 10(b), 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 12, 13, 14,
15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and
20 are illustrations of example implementations of aspects of example virtual
meeting platforms,
according to various embodiments. In some embodiments, the virtual meeting
platform can be
implemented similarly as that shown. In some embodiments, the virtual meeting
platform can be
implemented to carry out the same or equivalent steps shown by the example
implementations
depicted in each of FIGs. 7 to 20, using equivalent implementation(s).
[00138] FIGs. 7-17 show example implementations of aspects of an example
virtual meeting
platform relating to performing searches (e.g., of courses given scheduling
data), adding
participant user(s), enrollment in a course or other virtual meeting,
retrieving and/or displaying
course data (e.g., participant users enrolled, progress in a given course or
virtual meeting, etc.),
implementing course enrollment, implementing course registration, implementing
course
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

31
payment and discounts, implementing currency conversion and handling, and
retrieving and/or
generating a participant user list with course progress data, for example.
[00139] FIG. 18-20 show an example implementation relating to language
translation for
translating audio from a presenter user to audio and/or captions for a
participant user in an
example virtual meeting platform, according to some embodiments.
1001401 In some embodiments, as an example, the virtual meeting platform is
configured to
implement the following.
Parent Portal
Language used
(example) PHP, Laravel Framework
= Study basic requirements for parents.
= Study how they can manage their child(ren)'s account(s) so child(ren)
can also operate their account and parents can also manage child(ren)'s
accounts.
= Can purchase courses for their child(ren).
Steps implemented = Can save card detail for fast payment
Virtual meeting platform is configured to perform an age check on users
and implement account(s) for parent(s) having child(ren) younger than, for
Features example, 18 years.
= Parent registration and account set-up
= Email verification for parents
= Child registration using separate email addresses, no e-mail verification
for child accounts.
Child(ren) can log-in to their account and mark courses in their purchase
list. Virtual meeting platform is configured to send an email to the
corresponding parent(s) to pay for the course.
= Parents can pay for the course for their child(ren).
= Parents can purchase courses for themselves too.
= Parents can monitor child(ren)'s progress.
= Parents can manage courses, view calendars for future webinars and past
webinars, can play past webinars so they can get an idea how instructors
teach their child(ren) and their child(ren)'s behaviour in class.
They can manage their child(ren)'s profile, and can reset passwords for
them.
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[00141] Various embodiments have been described in detail. Equivalent changes
in and/or
additions to the above description can be appreciated.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-01

Representative Drawing