Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
ACCESSIBLE E-LEARNING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for e-
learning.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Generating and providing truly portable and accessible online
content is a
challenge in the e-learning industry. There exist standards for development of
accessible
e-learning, such as the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Content
Accessibility
Guidelines (WCAG 2.0), Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG 2.0), and
Accessible Rich Internet Application (ARIA 1.0) specification. However, these
standards
are deficient in addressing the challenges associated with accessible content
development,
especially the economic challenges with developing online content that fully
meets the
needs of the students or learners not just in e-learning, but in all areas of
online content
management.
[0003] Several solutions have been proposed to tackle this problem in
the four sectors
in the educational content space, such as learning management systems (LMS),
online,
authoring tools/content management systems, education providers, and learning
content
management systems (LCMS). Generally, learning management systems are closed
environments where students study, are assessed, and actively interact with
one another.
These systems are analogous to online classrooms. Example products include
Blackboard from Anthology Inc., U.S.A., Instructure0 by Canvas Inc., U.S.A.,
Schoology0 from PowerSchool Group LLC, U.S.A., Brightspace0 from D2L
Corporation, Canada (and open-source solutions like Moodie and Sakai . Online
education providers are also closed ecosystems of independent learning, and
example
products include Pluralsight Skills , LinkedIn Learning, Coursera0, Udemy0,
Udacity0, and Masterclass0. Authoring tools or content management systems
comprise
software and services that authors, such as web developers, designers,
writers, etc., can
use to produce and manage web content e.g., static web pages, dynamic web
applications,
for websites, blogs, media, and ecommerce-style sites. Example products of
authoring
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tools or content management systems include Shopify0, Wix0, Weebly0, Progress
Sitefinity0, Squarespace0, and Open-Source solutions e.g. WordPress and
Drupa10.
Learning content management systems are used to develop course content for
either
distribution to LMSes or direct consumption directly by students or learners.
Example
LMS products include Top Hate, Articulate , Turning , and Lectora0.
[0004] With respect to the authoring tools, accessibility support in
the market today
is focused on functionality that is best reflected by the W3C's Authoring
Tools
Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) which define how to make the authoring tools
themselves accessible, such that people with disabilities can create web
content, and help
authors create more accessible web content, specifically: enable, support, and
promote
the production of content that conforms to WCAG. These guidelines reflect an
approach
to content contained in these tools that assumes that the consumer will
consume web
content; and that the primary consumer of the content is an enabled person and
that the
point of the guidelines are to make the authoring tool provide a minimal level
of
accessibility support for disabled persons looking to consume this enabled
person
intended content.
[0005] At present, the market expectation for content development is
designed to
gracefully degrade the content experience, such that the most enabled
consumers
experience the content as intended, and the experience degrades for less
enabled
consumers in such a manner as it is designed to minimize the breaking of the
experience
for the less enabled consumers. For example, a content producer will for
example record
and make available a video which is best-suited to or provides the richest
experience to
fully enabled consumers i.e. those without disabilities, then add closed
captioning and/or
described video etc. to express what is in the video for the visually
impaired. The
challenge here is that from a learning perspective the nuance of the actual
learning is
designed around a visual experience that often does not translate fully to the
transcription
as the language prioritizes the description of the video content instead of
the learning
concepts. This methodology applies to most content that is produced by these
existing
systems whereby the primary intended audience is a fully enabled user with a
desktop
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computer or a tablet such that fully enabled user enjoys the best experience,
while the
experience is degraded for individuals with accessibility, equity, or device
challenges.
[0006] As such, none of the products on the market today provide for
the broader
portability and accessibility needs of e-learning content producers (course
publishers,
educational institutions, and governments/educational ministries) to develop
and manage
content effectively from an accessibility-first perspective while also
providing rich,
highly engaging interactive experiences for fully enabled users.
SUMMARY
[0007] In one example, a system for generating content for
presentation on a first
end-user device and at least one second end-user device, the system
comprising:
at least one memory device configured for storing instructions; and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory device and
configured
to execute the instructions to at least:
generate the content;
store the content in a headless format in which the content and an output
format for presentation are separated;
generate a first content output comprising a first set of content layers,
wherein the first content output comprises a first content output format
responsive to the first end-user device characteristics, wherein the first end-
user
device comprises minimal resources and/or specifications and the first content
output format is direct towards an accessibility-first learning experience;
and
generate at least one second content output comprising the first set of
content layers and at least one second set of content layers, wherein the at
least
one second content output comprises at least one second content output format
responsive to the at least one second end-user device characteristics, wherein
the
at least one second end-user device comprises non-minimal resources and/or
specifications.
[0008] In another example, a method for generating content for
presentation on a first
user device and a second user device, with a processor coupled to at least one
memory
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device storing instructions, wherein the processor executes the instructions
to at least
perform the operations of:
generating content;
storing the content in a headless format in which the content and an
output format for presentation are separated;
generating a first content output comprising a first set of content layers,
wherein the first content output comprises a first content output format
responsive to the first end-user device characteristics, wherein the first end-
user
device comprises minimal resources and/or specifications and the first content
output format is direct towards an accessibility-first learning experience;
and
generating at least one second content output comprising the first set of
content layers and at least one second set of content layers, wherein the at
least
one second content output comprises at least one second content output format
responsive to at least one second end-user device characteristics, wherein the
at
least one second end-user device comprises non-minimal resources and/or
specifications.
[0009]
In another example, a computer readable medium storing instructions
executable by a processor to carry out the operations comprising:
generating content;
storing the content in a headless format in which the content and an
output format for presentation are separated;
generating a first content output comprising a first set of content layers,
wherein the first content output comprises a first content output format
responsive to the first end-user device characteristics, wherein the first end-
user
device comprises minimal resources and/or specifications and the first content
output format is direct towards an accessibility-first learning experience,;
and
generating at least one second content output comprising the first set of
content layers and at least one second set of content layers, wherein the at
least
one second content output comprises at least one second content output format
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responsive to at least one second end-user device characteristics, wherein the
at
least one second end-user device comprises non-minimal resources and/or
specifications.
[0010]
Advantageously, the systems and methods described herein provide for a
content management system (CMS) platform that stores e-learning content in a
manner
such that the learning content and presentation information are separated. The
content is
subsequently transcompiled automatically into highly portable, variable, and
accessible
e-learning experiences. As such, e-learning content producers (course
publishers,
educational institutions, and governments/educational ministries) may use the
platform
to build e-learning experiences that are accessible-first, and reflect
inclusive-design with
minimal additional effort relative to the effort needed to produce content on
the desktop
and tablet focused e-learning experience CMSes that prevail in the market
today.
[0011]
The systems and methods enable the generation of content that may be
consumed in various formats well beyond "web content" by decoupling the
content from
its presentation and providing a reliable means of exporting the content in
other output
formats. While the systems and methods promote inclusive design, the content
produced
is equally consumable by disabled and enabled persons, more emphasis is placed
on the
needs of disabled persons, who are viewed as the primary consumer from an
authorship
perspective. The difference in approach is best reflected in the latest ATAG
version at
the time of writing (2.0) recommendation B.2.3.1 "Alternative Content is
Editable
(WCAG)", where the guideline states that "if the authoring tool provides
functionality
for adding non-text content, then authors are able to modify programmatically
associated
text alternatives for non-text content".
The equivalent functionality for this
recommendation in the system presented herein would recite "if the authoring
tool
provides functionality for adding text content, then authors will be able to
modify
programmatically associated non-text alternatives for the text content". As an
example,
in the event that a video is to be added as part of the content, the system
expects text
content and provides the ability to include a video alternative to that text.
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
[0012] Generally, the systems and methods allow for the development
of portable and
deeply accessible online learning experiences that can simultaneously address
numerous
learning experiences from print experiences for users with device limitations,
screen
readers of students with accessible needs, internet-limited devices, or no
internet students
with computer or mobile devices, offline experiences for device and internet-
enabled
users who prefer to save bandwidth, traditional means of consumption on
variant learning
management systems (Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM)/xAPI), and
live hosted experiences across variant learning management systems. As such,
the content
is stored in a headless format, where the content and the presentation are
separated, and
the content details are saved as metadata instead of code. The content is
transcompiled
and exported for publication in a plurality of formats to address the variable
learning
formats needed to tailor experiences to accessibility-first.
[0013] The systems and methods described herein intentionally
reverse this paradigm
by designing the authoring experience that is primarily intended for the least
enabled
consumers first so that they can fully learn the material regardless of their
disabilities or
device limitations. The learning is then progressively enhanced with
interactivity such
that all users have the best learning experience to their inherent
capabilities. Of note, this
is not simply providing the faculty for alternative content, though aspects of
it would
apply, rather it is a complementary state of content where the content is
shared among
different experience states and edited in such a shared state. In other words,
the system
is not designed as a "print version" that is distinct from a "fully digital
version". Rather
it is designed to manage content in a hybrid state between the variant
experiences
supported such that e-learning content producers (course publishers,
educational
institutions, and governments/ educational ministries) can write and maintain
content that
facilitates numerous experiences and builds alternative content for more
enabled learners.
[0014] The systems and methods endeavor to address a significant
portion of the
economic barriers associated with producing content of this nature by
drastically reducing
the overhead and complexity and fundamentally shifting the approach to content
design.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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[0015] Figure la shows a tenant infrastructure for publication,
versioning,
distribution, and remote management of e-learning content for plurality of
learner
experience types;
[0016] Figure lb shows a top-level diagram of an overall system
architecture for
developing content for distribution in a plurality of learner experience
types;
[0017] Figure lc shows two categories of exported experiences i.e.
print-related
experiences and digital-related experiences;
[0018] Figure 2 shows a flow chart with example steps for developing
content for
distribution in a plurality of learner experience types;
[0019] Figure 3 shows a tenant content distribution infrastructure;
[0020] Figure 4 shows a flow chart with example steps for layering
experiences to
generate enhanced content from the created content for different learner
experience
types;
[0021] Figure 5 shows an example user-interface for a print
experience;
[0022] Figure 6 shows an example user-interface for a digital
experience;
[0023] Figure 7 shows an example user-interface for a print
experience;
[0024] Figure 8 shows print to digital considerations for components;
and
[0025] Figure 9 illustrates a block diagram of an example of a
machine upon which
any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies) discussed herein can
be
performed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying
drawings.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the
following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While
embodiments of the
disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other
implementations are
possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made
to the
elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be
modified
by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods.
Accordingly, the
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following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the
proper scope of
the disclosure is defined by the appended claims.
[0027] Moreover, it should be appreciated that the particular
implementations shown
and described herein are illustrative of the invention and are not intended to
otherwise
limit the scope of the invention in any way. Indeed, for the sake of brevity,
certain sub-
components of the individual operating components, and other functional
aspects of the
systems may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting
lines shown
in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary
functional
relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It
should be noted
that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical
connections may
be present in a practical system.
[0028] Generally, methods and systems described herein pertain to a
software-as-a-
service (SaaS) application designed to address the publication, versioning,
distribution,
and remote management needs of e-learning content across multiple learning
environments. A SaaS provider provisions the application and platform to
customers or
"tenants" of the system. Within a tenant, numerous types of users of the
tenant's
applications (the applications designed to publish, version, distribute, and
manage the
content) are possible, additionally learners using content produced by the
system are also
restricted to that tenant except when explicit permission to share or move
primary data
ownership has been applied (such as when a learner transfers to a new school).
[0029] The systems and methods described herein are configurable to
build e-
learning experiences that share the same learning topic, also known as a
knowledge
component, among multiple clients and e-learning experiences. This collection
of
learning topics form a shared ontology (or dictionary) that enables all
tenants to share
anonymized learning data and benefit from the system by learning from this
shared
learner data set. This sharing allows for enhancing the adaptive learning
experiences for
each learner, which would not be attainable otherwise.
[0030] In Figure la, there is shown a system 10 for authoring,
publishing, versioning,
managing and distributing e-learning content across multiple learning
environments. The
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system 10 comprises a tenant infrastructure 11 representing two types of
tenants; siloed
tenants 12a, 12b, where all applications and tenant microservices are made
available
explicitly for that tenant's use, and pooled tenants 12c where tenant
applications 13 and
microservices 14 are shared though the experience is distinct for each tenant
12a-c.
Practically, all tenants 12a-c have the same operating experience, the
difference between
these tenant types reflects an infrastructure differentiation primarily driven
by the size of
the client and the expected load on the SaaS system.
[0031] The tenant microservices 14 serve the functionality required
for the tenant
specific applications for media management (file management, transcoding,
caching,
etc.), content management (data warehousing of headless content), and
packaging and
distribution (transcompiling to the tenant's format, styling, and output
requirements).
Shared microservices 15 serve both the tenant application 13 and learning
environments
16 with functions either not needing to be balanced on load concerns, or where
anonymized "big data" shared across tenants can be valuable for all tenants
using the
system, such as, shared learner data informing numerous tenant experiences.
Example
shared microservices 15 comprise tenant registration, user management and
authentication, tenant management, tenant provisioning, learner knowledge
graph
(ontology), learner activity signaling and adaptive learning.
[0032] In both siloed and pooled tenant cases 12a-c, three types of
tenant learner
experiences are supported i.e. API connected experiences 17a, exported
experiences 16b
(the traditional model the industry currently relies on), and hosted
experiences 17c on
tenant infrastructure. API connected experiences 17a and hosted experiences
17c differ
only in the methods necessary to connect a tenant's clients' learning
management system,
applications, or hosted environments with the tenant's infrastructure for
delivering and
updating the experiences.
[0033] Figure lb shows an overall system architecture 20 comprising a
client user
device 21, or tenant device, with a processor 22, memory device 23 and
input/output
interface module 24, interconnected by communications bus 25. The client user
may be
a customer who may be represented as a "tenant" of the system 20, such as a
school,
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college, university, or other educational institution that serves end users,
such as students
or learners. Tenants have access to tenant applications for publishing,
versioning,
distributing, and managing the content. In one example, learners consuming the
produced
content are also restricted to that tenant except when explicit permission to
share or move
primary data ownership has been approved e.g., when a learner transfers to a
new school
and therefore switches from one tenant to another tenant.
[0034] In one example, memory device 23 is capable of storing machine
executable
instructions 26 e.g., tenant applications, data 27, including data models and
process
models. Further, the processor 22 is capable of executing the instructions 26
stored in
memory device 23 to implement aspects of processes described herein. For
example,
processor 22 may be embodied as an executor of software instructions 26,
wherein the
software instructions 26 may specifically configure the processor 22 to
perform
algorithms and/or operations described herein when the software instructions
26 are
executed. Alternatively, the processor 22 may execute hard-coded
functionality. Client
device 21 also comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) 28 and database 29
coupled to
tenant user device 21 via I/0 interface module 24.
[0035] The client device 21 may be communicatively coupled to a
server machine
30, such as a SaaS server computer, via a communication network 31. The server
machine
30 provides a SaaS application designed to address the publication,
versioning,
distribution, and remote management needs of e-learning content across
multiple learning
environments. Coupled to the server machine 30 is one or more shared databases
32 that
are shared by the tenants. The one or more shared databases 32 may be
communicatively
coupled directly to the server machine 30 or via network 31. Similar to client
device 21,
the server machine 30 comprises one or more processors 33, memory device 34
storing
data 35, including data models and process models, and instructions 36, I/O
interface
module 37, interconnected by communications bus 38.
[0036] At the client device 21, instructions 26 stored in memory
device 23 comprise
several service modules, such as: sign-in module 40; authoring module 42;
content
management module 44; content distribution module 46; lifecycle management
module
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
48; export management module 50; application management module 52; media
management module 54; packaging and distribution module 56; and content API
module
58.
[0037]
Sign-in module 40 comprises an identity and access management (JAM)
service for administrators, customers, and applications throughout the tenant
system;
authoring module 42 provides a lesson and page builder environment, a discreet
editing
environment that may provide drag and drop and keyboard-based controls for
developing
content that supports print and digital experiences for the same set of
content. Example
features of the system include but are not limited to print and digital
components that can
be used for both print and digital student experiences divided into non-
interactive
components typically equivalent to HTML elements or small groupings of HTML
elements such as, but not limited to headers, paragraphs, and images, and an
assessment
engine which manages all components and question types related to quizzing,
exams, and
other assessments of student experiences. Digital only components may be used
for
digital student experiences in view of their interactivity and technology
requirements, are
divided into interactive components typically equivalent to HTML elements or
small
groupings of HTML elements and associated interaction such as, but not limited
to,
accordions, tabs, carousels, dynamic tables and iFrames. These components
often wrap,
nest, or elevate other Print and Digital or Digital Only experiences and may
have
configuration options for tailoring the expected experiences; interactive
learning objects
(IL0s) which are interactive components that have been specifically designed
around
learning outcomes, and enable students to better visually understand and
virtually interact
with phenomena they learn in the course material, such as, but not limited to,
periodic
table of elements, environment simulations, and virtual labs; and preset
experience library
components which are standalone experiences with minimal configuration options
such
as, but not limited to standalone games which can be included in the
curriculum largely
"as-is". Other features of the system associated with the authoring module 42
comprise
asset manager 54 which handles uploading, editing, metadata, and inclusion of
media
such as images and video into the authored experience; collaboration tools for
visualizing
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and managing shared manipulation of content asynchronously or synchronously as
the
material is built and reviewed. Functionality includes, but is not limited to,
visibility of
simultaneous user activity, commenting, and review process sharing and
management;
adaptive learning content management including tagging functionality,
knowledge graph
use and extension, and content section management.
[0038]
Content management module 44 is responsible for learning content
development system for creating, editing, and managing the lessons and
supplementary
materials for each course package. The system loads the authoring system for
each
content piece that is being developed and enables the organization and
grouping of the
resulting materials into a course outline that instructs the packaging of
course packages
upon publication ("publishing") of a finalized course. Example features of the
authoring
system include but are not limited to: a course builder system, an overarching
system for
creating, editing, and managing courses within the system; a course outlines
system for
organizing all learning content of a particular course or course instance in
preparation for
publication; a content repository which stores content produced within the
authoring
system as headless content which is content that is described independently
from its
presentation layer save for reflections of components that were used. For
example, but
not limited to, a reference to the inclusion of a video as a video ID and
platform reference,
but no code for producing the appropriate player for that video experience.
Also included
is a course packaging system for publishing a finalized course into the
appropriate formats
in preparation for distribution; a catalogue management system for grouping a
collection
of one or more courses together that can be made available through content
distribution
module 46 to either other tenants or the public for various uses, such as but
not limited to
direct registration; version control, a system that tracks and manages all
changes within
the system, both at a authoring level and within other areas of the content
management
system; a article builder system, an overarching system for creating, editing,
and
managing all content produced by the system that is not a course, such as but
not limited
to knowledge base/help articles and blog posts; the overarching system uses
the same
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authoring system for content management as the course builder, with learning
components reduced or suppressed in favour of expanded journalist components.
[0039] Content distribution module 46 comprises a system responsible
for creating,
editing, and managing the distribution of these materials to other tenants or
public end
points. Some features of the content distribution system 46 include, but are
not limited
to: reporting and management of how and where the courses are distributed via
automated
tracking of any "live hosted" experiences; reporting and management of how and
where
the courses are distributed via manually tracking for any non-"live hosted"
experiences;
and the systems for managing such distributions, such as but not limited to,
sending new
live updates or exporting new versions for non-"live hosted" experiences and
manually
updating distribution details.
[0040] Lifecycle management module 48 is a system and environment
for the overall
tenant SaaS application. Some features of the lifecycle management module 48
include,
but are not limited to: a reporting engine for all data related reporting
functions of the
application, such as but not limited to, systems usage and performance,
distribution
tracking, learner progression, class progression; notification services for
managing user
and system notifications both within and outside of the application; an update
manager
for managing application updates automated or otherwise; federation and access
control
for managing users, permissions, and groups and for turning on and off
features and
settings from the system; and security and monitoring for managing security
related
concerns.
[0041] Export management module 50 is system responsible for
transcompiling
courses and articles to the tenant's format, styling, and output requirements.
Some
examples of outputs include, but are not limited to: a PDF format for users
with limited
or no access to devices who are looking for a printable copy of a course; an
accessible-
first HTML version of a course for users using assistive technology such as a
screen
reader; an offline version of the course with full digital interactivity
enabled for users
with limited or no access to the internet but who do have access to a digital
device such
as a computer or smartphone; a traditional LMS package for administrators
looking to
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upload a static or traditional SCORM (or similar format) package to a LMS for
students
to study from; a remotely managed LMS package for administrators looking to
distribute
courses to LMSes that can be updated directly and in real-time from within the
platform
without the need to upload a new version; and directly hosted standalone
experiences,
whether public or behind a managed login, which are not dependent on a third
party LMS.
[0042] Application management module 52 is responsible for the
tenant's account
related functions such as but not limited to, billing, knowledge base,
technical support,
account management, third party integrations, theming, licensing, and shared
service
subscriptions, and permissions.
[0043] Media management module 54 comprises the microservices behind
the
system's asset manager for handling uploading, editing, and metadata of media.
Some
features of the media management module 54 include, but are not limited to:
asset variants
from such actions as cropping, colour manipulation etc. that are saved
independently from
but in direct relationship to the source material; compression and
optimization services
for reducing and streamlining file sizes and metadata of assets; and services
for managing
assets between local and remote file systems such as cloud storage providers.
[0044] Packaging and distribution module 56 comprises microservices
responsible
for supporting the course packaging module 44 and content distribution 46
services of the
system, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 3 and 5.
[0045] Content API module 58 comprises microservices responsible for
transferring
data and meaning of the content between the content store of databases and the
requesting
services.
[0046] It is to be appreciated that the particular arrangement of
modules 40-58
illustrated in Figure lb embodiment is presented by way of example only, and
alternative
arrangements can be used in other embodiments. For example, the functionality
associated with the modules 40-58 in other embodiments can be combined into a
single
module, or separated across a larger number of modules. As another example,
multiple
distinct processors 22 can be used to implement different ones of the modules
40-58 or
portions thereof. At least portions of the modules 40-58 may be implemented at
least in
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part in the form of software comprising program code 26 stored in memory
device 23 and
executed by processor 22.
[0047] In one example, it is assumed that a tenant user associated
with one or more
of the client devices 21 is attempting to access services and applications on
a server
machine 30 over the network 31, and that access to the services requires
successful tenant
user authentication to the server machine 30. As such, the server machine 30
may include
an authentication server running an identity and access management (TAM)
service for
users, such as administrators, customers, and applications throughout the
tenant system.
[0048] The authentication or validation process begins with the
tenant user entering
login credentials on a user-interface 28 presented on a display associated
with the tenant
user device 21 and provided by a web server at the server machine 30. In an
operation,
the tenant user enters identification information that may include a user ID
and a
password. First time users may be required to provide personal information and
to select
the user ID and/or the password before being allowed to continue. The user
submits the
identification information to the server machine 30. A test is implemented in
an operation
to determine if the identification information authenticates the tenant user.
For example,
if the submitted user identification information matches the information
stored in a
database for a known valid user of the service, the user is authenticated. If
not, the user is
redirected back to the login user interface or to an error page and may try to
log in again.
If the user is successfully authenticated, the tenant user is provided access
to the service
provided at the server machine 30.
[0049] Upon successful completion of the validation procedure, the
tenant user
initiates a service provided by an authoring module 42, which allows the
tenant user to
author content, such as course materials. For example, authoring module 42
provides a
suitable user-interface 28 with an authoring environment for building pages
for lessons
and/or courses. In one example, the authoring environment comprises a discreet
editing
environment that provides drag and drop and keyboard-based controls for
developing
content. In one example, the same developed content is suitable for both print
and digital
experiences. As such, print and digital components that can be used for both
print and
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
digital end-user experiences divided into non-interactive components typically
equivalent
to HTML elements or small groupings of HTML elements such as, but not limited
to
headers, paragraphs, and images.
[0050] The systems and methods are configured to build e-learning
experiences that
are accessible-first and reflect inclusive-design with minimal additional
effort. This is
accomplished by biasing the editing experience towards print and accessible-
first
considerations accompanied by component considerations that are designed for
the
progressive enhancement of content experiences. Content that is produced in
this editing
experience is saved in a "headless" format, a format that decouples the
presentation of
the content from its structure, which enables a method of centralized content
management
that supports numerous exported experiences. When an author chooses to publish
and
package their e-learning experience this "headless" content is transcompiled
into various
formats selected by the author. During transcompilation key aspects of
presentation such
as the theming/styling of the content and selecting the appropriate
technologies for
inclusion such as video streaming providers are applied to the content.
[0051] As shown in Figure lc, the system export capabilities can be
divided into two
categories of experiences from a content perspective, such as print-related
experiences
59a and digital-related experiences 59b.
[0052] Print-related experiences 59a are experiences that are
inherently dependent on
text as a construct for delivery of the educational experience. These
experiences include
printed materials which can support individuals who have limited access to
devices, such
as computers, tablets, or smart phones, and individuals using assistive
technologies, such
as screen readers.
[0053] Digital-related experiences 59b are experiences that are
inherently dependent
on the text print-related experiences but are also progressively enhanced
digitally. These
experiences can support individuals with access to devices, such as computers,
tablets, or
smart phones, who may or may not have consistent access to the internet. For
example,
in remote communities, individuals may not have access, or at least reliable
access to the
internet, however they may have access to devices that can present a digital
experience.
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
These internet-limited devices can thereby present the digital experience in
offline mode.
For individuals who have access to devices and reliable internet access
several
experiences can be supported, such as but not limited to, direct hosted
experiences where
the individual visits a website or downloads a mobile app and studies within
that
environment, traditional LMS experiences where the content is uploaded to the
LMS and
learners study the material within that environment, or live hosted LMS
experiences
where the learners study the material within their LMS but the content is
centrally
distributed to them through a hosted experience on the server computer 30.
[0054] In Figure 2, there is shown an example workflow for publishing
content
suitable to a plurality of content end-users or consumers, depicted as flow
chart 100.
[0055] In step 102, a tenant user logs into server computer 30 via
tenant user device
21 and uses the content management system 44 within the tenant SaaS
application 26
running on the client device 21 to develop a course package in preparation for
publication,
following an authentication process as described previously.
[0056] Next, a decision is made as to whether the developed course
package is ready
for publication, step 104. When the developed course package is deemed not
ready for
publication, then the process loops back to step 102 for further edits,
otherwise the course
package is assigned a version identifier and details of the course package are
stored in
memory device 23, and a publishing request is initiated. A tenant packaging
compute
service (TPC) is called to manage the request (step 106).
[0057] In step 108, the TPC requests details on the package version,
including one or
more packaging instructions indicating the format, style, and output
requirements for the
desired learner experience.
[0058] In step 110, the IPC accesses a content API service and
retrieves all content
associated with the course package as described by the course outline system,
via an
API gateway.
[0059] Next, the IPC accesses the settings from the tenant
application's export
Management for system level instructions for the format, styling, and output
requirements, via an API gateway (step 112).
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
[0060] In step 114, for each requested package export the TPC calls
the tenant
transcompiler compute service (TTC) to transcompile the content received from
the
Content API into the appropriate packages. As such, a transcompiler generates
the
packages in a format as dictated by the output requirements suitable the
desired learner
experience. For example, the output requirements may be different for printed
and non-
printed formats, or device specifications and capabilities.
[0061] Next, as the TTC processes each package it parses through the
content and
leverages the media management microservices to pull down the appropriate
version of
each media asset (step 116).
[0062] In step 118, the resulting transcompiled package is saved to a
database store
in its rendered form, and the details of the package are also saved to the
database store.
[0063] The files are then uploaded as rendered files to a hosted
endpoint for further
action by the end-users of the system (step 120).
[0064] On completion of all packaging activities the TPC sends a
notification of
completion with details that were stored in the data store to the content
management
system 44 of the tenant SaaS application 26 enabling further action by the
tenant user
(step 122).
[0065] Figure 3 shows a tenant content packaging infrastructure 130
comprising
content distribution module 46 and content management module 44 stored in
memory
device 23 of tenant client device 21 running a tenant SaaS application 26. The
content
distribution module 46 and the content management module 44 carry out example
steps
202-216 for publishing, transcompiling, packaging and distributing the content
in
accordance with a desired learning experience.
[0066] In more detail, example steps 202-216 will now be described
with reference
to Figure 4, showing a flowchart 200 with the example steps 202-216.
[0067] In step 202, a tenant user accesses the content distribution
system 46 within
the tenant SaaS application 26 to initiate a process to distribute the
published courses in
accordance with the desired learning experiences.
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
[0068] In step 204, the tenant user with the appropriate user
permissions selects from
one or more learner experience types, and initiates a distribution request.
The learner
experience types comprise a combination of the expected learner environments
and the
format or method of published files needed, to bundle and execute on a content
distribution of a published course. Each content distribution action
undertaken is distinct
and a published course can have multiple content distributions attached to it.
[0069] In step 206, when a distribution request is made, a tenant
distribution compute
service (TDC) is called to manage the request. The 1DC processes each learner
experience type selected in step 204 and bundles each of them into a single
distribution
activity record.
[0070] In step 208, the TDC looks up the learner environment to
determine what is
required to process the distribution, including but not limited to print,
screen readers,
learning management systems, mobile apps, and directly hosted web.
[0071] In step 210, the TDC then narrows down the format, method and
technological
requirements to fulfill an experience type selected in step 204. Examples
include, but are
not limited to: Print for PDF; Print for Braille; Screen Readers via media-
less/text only
HTML 5; LMSes via traditional learning technology interoperability standard
packages
such as SCORM/AICC/xAPI which contain full course materials (the industry
standard
method); LMSes via "remote lms packages" using a technique to use traditional
learning
technology interoperability standard packages such as SCORM/AICC/xAPI as a
vehicle
to distribute iFramed and learning tools interoperability (LTI) enabled
content which
remotely reference full course materials; LMSes via "remotely managed" content
where
the system builds and updates the iFramed and LTI enabled content dynamically
using
the LMS's APIs while maintaining ongoing and active management of the content
centrally; and mobile apps or website experiences without a LMS via direct
hosting of
APIs, HTML5 and similar technologies.
[0072] In step 212, the TDC then determines the distribution process
required for
each of experience type and either makes available the appropriate package for
manual
distribution or automatically manages the connection and distribution of the
materials.
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
Examples include, but are not limited to: Print and Screen Reader environments
which
require a download and either printing or distributing of the digital files
offline to learners;
LMS packages which require a download of the package and manual upload into
the
respective LMS; LMS remotely managed content that utilize API connectivity
details
stored in the tenant environments database to build and distribute the course
automatically
in real-time; and directly hosted content that is also built and distributed
through real-
time automatic means.
[0073] In step 214, the TDC then records the details of the
distribution for
management purposes, including all relevant information on the connection and
what was
built out without user intervention. For manual distributions the system
requires input
from the tenant user distributing the experience detailing the scope of the
distribution for
"offline use" tracking details. All digital experiences that are centrally
hosted are also
setup at this stage to track ongoing learner event activity. This includes
both automated
distribution processes and the "Remote LMS Package" option which, while
requiring an
initial manual upload to the LMS, can track use once setup on the LMS that is
hosting the
package.
[0074] In step 216, once the content has been distributed, the
content is managed via
the content management application via either real-time content management of
distributed courses via API updates or by downloading a new version and
manually re-
distributing the course materials to the destinations recorded in the
distribution details
step.
[0075] Looking at Figure 5, an author is presented with a user-
interface 400, such as
example "Print view" of an authoring canvas 401 of the system 10. To elevate
the
importance of print-related experiences for authors, and therefore accessible-
first and
inclusive design principles, the authoring canvas 401 is designed with these
two
categories in mind.
[0076] The authoring area or canvas 401 comprises content 402, top
bar 403 and
components tool bar 404. The top bar 403 comprises the following tools or
elements, or
a subset or superset thereof: logo 405 associated with the tenant user, title
406 and/or
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
subtitle 407 of the content 402, print view button 408 which allows the user
to view a
print version of the content 402, digital view button 409 which allows the
user to view a
digital version of the content 402, autosave notification 410, share button
412, preview
button 414, notification component 416 and author identification 418. The
components
tool bar 404 comprises the following components or content elements, or a
subset or
superset thereof: section component 420, formatted text paragraph component
422, image
component 424, non-interactive component 426, quiz component 428, video
component
430, interactive component 432, undo icon 434, redo icon 436 and query icon
438.
[0077] Toggling between the print view button 408 and the digital
view button 409
enables the tenant user to switch between a "Print view" and a "Digital view"
of both the
canvas 401 view and the availability of tools for adding and editing content
402 on the
canvas 401. In order to minimize the amount of alternative content both views
share the
same content that is needed to produce a lesson that is flexible enough to
support the wide
range of experiences described above. Generally, the authoring process is
initiated in the
Print view, and therefore the expectation of starting with Print and building
up to Digital
is set immediately. This is further supported in all help and guideline user
documentation
for the system. The components tool bar 404 is used by authors to insert
content elements
420-432 onto the canvas 401. These tools 420-432 are made available as
appropriate to
the authoring experience selected. As reflected in Figure 5, when the print
view button
408 is selected, the video component 430 and the interactive component 432 are
disabled
as the print experiences cannot play videos nor provide interactive
experiences.
[0078] To write shared content effectively between print and digital
views the author
needs visibility at all times into what content is hidden from the active view
but visible
in the other views. The system treats this with a minimized height for
components that
are unavailable to the author. Components that do not have a current
experience
equivalency, such as the video component 430 in Figure 5, are highlighted, in
light red
for example, and contain text indicating they are "unavailable". This
treatment indicates
to the author that the content likely represents a gap in learning experience
in the current
view that should be supplemented by the author.
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
[0079] Components that have a current experience equivalency, such
as the
interactive component 432 in Figure 5, may be hidden or disabled from the
current
experience for reasons at the discretion of the author. This would typically
be used to
provide an alternative experience that is a more effective learning experience
than the
default equivalency provided by the component. These components when hidden
are
greyed out and contain text indicating that they are "hidden" and an "enable"
toggle
switch is set to the off state. Toggling the switch to the on state would
restore the
component to be visible.
[0080] This ability to hide and disable is available on all
components 420-432 on the
author canvas 401 that are available to that view, as indicated in Figure 5 by
the image
component 424 and the formatted text paragraph component 422 "enabled" toggle
switch
being set to the "on" state. Note that the blue outlined sections in Figure 5
represent the
author's actively selected component to edit. In actual use only one blue
outlined section
exists at any given time, but both have been displayed in this context to
provide visibility
to the toggle's availability across components.
[0081] As shown in Figure 5, the example content 402 within the
authoring canvas
401 comprises a unit title 440, a title 442, a descriptive section 444
comprising an opening
paragraph 446 that is shared between print and digital experiences. Videos and
interactive
content are present in digital experiences only, and therefore these
components 448, 450
are disabled in the print only view; and images and formatted text paragraphs
are present
in print only experiences, therefore images components 452 and formatted text
paragraphs components 454 are enabled. Additional descriptive sections may be
added
to content 402 by actuating "Add Descriptive Section" dialog box 456, and
learning
sections which track student progress and assessments may be added to content
402 by
actuating "Add Learning Section" dialog box 458.
[0082] Looking at Figure 6, there is shown a user-interface 500,
such as example
"Digital view" of the authoring canvas 401 of system. User-interface 400
comprises
authoring area or canvas 401 comprising content 402, a top bar 403 and
components tool
bar 404, as described previously. The digital view button 409 which allows the
user to
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
view a digital version of the content 402 comprises a drop-down menu 501 which
allows
the author to select from a plurality of devices based on screen size, such as
desktop 502,
tablet (portrait) 504, tablet (landscape) 506, and mobile 508. The components
tool bar
404 comprises the following components or content elements, or a subset or
superset
thereof: section component 420, formatted text paragraph component 422, image
component 424, non-interactive component 426, quiz component 428, video
component
430, interactive component 432, undo icon 434, redo icon 436 and query icon
438.
[0083] As can be seen under the digital view in Figure 6, the video
component 430
and the interactive component 432 are now enabled and editable and the
formatted text
paragraph component 504 and the image component 502 are now hidden and
disabled.
Accordingly, this indicates that the video 506 and interactive learning
objects 508 are
suitable replacements for the image and formatted text paragraph content,
progressively
enhancing the content for the digital learning experience without limiting the
print
experience's effectiveness in delivering its learning.
[0084] Within each Print and Digital experience views are sub-
categories that tailor
the authoring canvas 401 to address variations in their respective learning
experiences
when packaged and distributed. Initially the system supports a total of six
sub-category
views but this may be expanded to support additional experiences in the
future.
[0085] On the digital side, as illustrated in Figure 6, the system 10
supports four
views, desktop 502, tablet (portrait) 504, tablet (landscape) 506, and mobile
508. The
primary function of these views is to limit the authoring canvas 401 area to
the limitations
imposed by the screen sizes of these devices. By switching views authors can
visualize
the responsive design of the components on the canvas 401 and elect to provide
alternative content as appropriate. This can range from simple adjustments
like taller or
wider versions of the same image being provided for different devices to more
complicated treatments such as providing a completely different mobile
optimizes
experience for an interactive that was exclusively designed for larger
screens. Additional
descriptive sections may be added to content 402 by actuating "Add Descriptive
Section"
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
dialog box 456, and learning sections which track student progress and
assessments may
be added to content 402 by actuating "Add Learning Section" dialog box 458.
[0086] Figure 7 shows a user-interface 510 for a Print experience.
The Print view
button 408 allows the user to view a print version of the content 402 and
comprises a
drop-down menu 512 which allows the author to select from between a Print
(offline)
version 514 for support of physical printing experiences and a screen reader
version 516
for tailoring content for assistive devices. In keeping with the accessible-
first and
inclusive design focused features of the methods and system, the screen reader
view 604
optimizes the editing experience to clearly express and allow for editing of
the text
representation typical of screen readers. In Figure 7, user-interface 510
comprises
authoring canvas 401 comprising a unit title 440, a title 442, a descriptive
section 444
comprising an opening paragraph 446 that is shared between print and digital
experiences.
Videos and interactive content are present in digital experiences only,
therefore videos
component 448 and interactive content component 450 are greyed out in the
print only
view; and images component 452 and formatted text paragraphs component 454 are
enabled. An image 520 may be added, including associated Alt text 522, and a
description
524 of the image 608. Accordingly, in Figure 7 all functional aspects of the
canvas 401
are shared with the Print (offline) experience, however for visual content a
change in the
component layout is provided to replace them with: the text that is typically
generated
(spoken by) a screen reader when encountering this component. In this example
screen
readers will typically start by stating "Image" or "Graphic" 520 followed by a
brief pause;
the Alt text 522 that has been provided by the author, which typically
immediately follows
the screen reader generated text; and the caption or description 524 provided
by the
author, which typically immediately follows the Alt text 522. This
significantly elevates
the efficiency, accuracy, and understanding of the appropriate assistive
device text
content to include in the lesson as the author can visually read the expected
screen
reader's spoken experience as they edit.
[0087] Figure 8 shows print to digital considerations for components
associated with
various learner experiences. In view of the shared content across numerous
authoring
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
canvas 401 views, adaptability of components is fundamental to minimizing the
volume
of alternative content needed to enhance an accessible-first experience with
digital
interactivity. This is analogous to responsive design principles but extends
the principles
to incorporate adaptive principles. As shown in Figure 8, all components of
the system
are designed with explicit consideration for how the same headless content for
said
component can be displayed in print and digital learning experiences wherever
feasible.
[0088] These components can be grouped into four categories, such as,
non-
interactive components 530, assessment components 532, interactive components
534,
and chart components 536.
[0089] Non-interactive components 530 are fully supportive of both
print and digital
experiences and do not need material changes outside of responsive design
considerations
for digital devices.
[0090] Assessment components 532 are fully interactive in their
digital experience
but contain the content to provide an equivalent print experience. Print
experiences
however will need to separate the questions from the answers for an entire
quiz to
effectively deliver on the equivalent learning experience.
[0091] Interactive components 534 are fully interactive in their
digital experience,
some of which contain content to provide an equivalent print experience and
some of
which do not. For those experiences that have print experience equivalencies
there is an
added benefit of interchangeability of the digital experience, such as ordered
lists in print
that can be rendered as either accordions or tabs digitally, and stacked
images in print that
can be rendered as carousel, slideshow, or lightbox experiences digitally. As
this list
illustrates, it is a small subset of the total components (iframe, video,
audio, and 3D) that
cannot work for both print-based and digital-based learning experiences and
therefore
need alternative content to be fully accessible-first and supportive of
inclusive design
principles.
[0092] Chart components 536 are fully interactive in their digital
experience but
contain the content to provide an equivalent print experience. Print
experiences however
will need to render an image of the chart, any necessary data that would have
displayed
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
interactively, alternate text, and appropriate captioning and descriptions to
effectively
deliver on the equivalent learning experience.
[0093] Figure 9 illustrates a block diagram of an example machine
600, such as
client device 21 or server computer 30, upon which any one or more of the
techniques
(e.g., methodologies) discussed herein may be performed. Machine 600 (e.g.,
computer
system) may include a hardware processor 601 (e.g., a central processing unit
(CPU), a
graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination
thereof), a main memory 602 and a static memory 606, connected via an
interlink 603
(e.g., link or bus), as some or all of these components may constitute
hardware for
systems or related implementations discussed above.
[0094] Generally, the hardware processor 601 may, for example,
include at least one
of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC)
Processor, a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) Processor, a Graphics
Processing Unit (GPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Tensor Processing
Unit
(TPU), a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), a Vision Processing Unit (VPU), a
Machine
Learning Accelerator, an Artificial Intelligence Accelerator, an Application
Specific
Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Radio-
Frequency
Integrated Circuit (RFIC), a Neuromorphic Processor, a Quantum Processor, or
any
combination thereof. A processor circuit may further be a multi-core processor
having
two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as "cores") that may
execute
instructions contemporaneously. Multi-core processors contain multiple
computational
cores on a single integrated circuit die, each of which can independently
execute program
instructions in parallel. Parallel processing on multi-core processors may be
implemented
via architectures like superscalar, VLIW, vector processing, or SIMD that
allow each core
to run separate instruction streams concurrently. A processor circuit may be
emulated in
software, running on a physical processor, as a virtual processor or virtual
circuit. The
virtual processor may behave like an independent processor but is implemented
in
software rather than hardware.
26
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
[0095] Specific examples of main memory 602 include Random Access
Memory
(RAM), and semiconductor memory devices, which may include storage locations
in
semiconductors such as registers. Specific examples of static memory 606
include non-
volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., Electrically
Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable
Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as
internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; RAM; or
optical media
such as CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.
[0096] The machine 21, 30 may further include a display device 610,
an input device
612 (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface (UI) navigation device 614 (e.g.,
a mouse). In
an example, the display device 610, input device 612, and UI navigation device
614 may
be a touch-screen display. The machine 21, 30 may include a mass storage
device 616
(e.g., drive unit), a signal generation device 618 (e.g., a speaker), a
network interface
device 620. The machine 21, 30 may include an output controller 723, such as a
serial
(e.g., universal serial bus (USB), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g.,
infrared (IR),
near field communication (NFC), etc.) connection to communicate or control one
or more
peripheral devices (e.g., a printer, card reader, etc.).
[0097] The mass storage device 616 may comprise a machine-readable
medium 622
on which is stored one or more sets of data structures or instructions 604
(e.g., software)
embodying or utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions
described herein.
The instructions 604 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within
the main
memory 602, within static memory 606, or within the hardware processor 601
during
execution thereof by the machine 21, 30. In an example, one or any combination
of the
hardware processor 601, the main memory 602, the static memory 606, or the
mass
storage device 616 comprises a machine readable medium.
[0098] Specific examples of machine-readable media include, one or
more of non-
volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., EPROM or EEPROM)
and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and
removable
disks; magneto-optical disks; RAM; or optical media such as CD-ROM and DVD-ROM
27
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
disks. While the machine-readable medium is illustrated as a single medium,
the term
"machine readable medium" may include a single medium or multiple media (e.g.,
a
centralized or distributed database, or associated caches and servers)
configured to store
the one or more instructions 604.
[0099]
The term "machine readable medium" includes, for example, any medium that
is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by the
machine 21,
30 and that cause the machine 21, 30 to perform any one or more of the
techniques of the
present disclosure or causes another apparatus or system to perform any one or
more of
the techniques, or that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying data
structures used by
or associated with such instructions. Non-limiting machine-readable medium
examples
include solid-state memories, optical media, or magnetic media. Specific
examples of
machine-readable media include: non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor
memory
devices (e.g., Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM),
Electrically
Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices;
magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-
optical disks;
Random Access Memory (RAM); or optical media such as CD-ROM and DVD-ROM
disks. In some examples, machine readable media includes non-transitory
machine-
readable media. In some examples, machine readable media includes machine
readable
media that is not a transitory propagating signal.
[00100] The instructions 604 may be transmitted or received, for example, over
a
communications network 605 using a transmission medium via the network
interface
device 620 utilizing any one of a number of transfer protocols (e.g., frame
relay, internet
protocol (IP), transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol
(UDP),
hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.). Example communication networks
include a
local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a packet data network
(e.g., the
Internet), mobile telephone networks (e.g., cellular networks), Plain Old
Telephone
(POTS) networks, and wireless data networks (e.g., Institute of Electrical and
Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family of standards known as Wi-Fi0), IEEE 802.15.4
family
of standards, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G or 5G family of standards, a
Universal
28
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) family of standards, peer-to-peer
(P2P)
networks, satellite communication networks, among others.
[00101] In an example, the network interface device 620 includes one or more
physical
jacks (e.g., Ethernet, coaxial, or other interconnection) or one or more
antennas to access
the communications network 605. In an example, the network interface device
620
includes one or more antennas to wirelessly communicate using at least one of
single-
input multiple-output (SIMO), multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), or
multiple-input
single-output (MISO) techniques. In some examples, the network interface
device 620
wirelessly communicates using Multiple User MIMO techniques. The term
"transmission
medium" shall be taken to include any intangible medium that is capable of
storing,
encoding or carrying instructions for execution by the machine 600, and
includes digital
or analog communications signals or other intangible medium to facilitate
communication of such software.
[00102] Examples, as described herein, can include, or can operate on, logic
or a
number of components, modules, or mechanisms (all referred to hereinafter as
"modules"). Modules are tangible entities (e.g., hardware) capable of
performing
specified operations and is configured or arranged in a certain manner. In an
example,
circuits are arranged (e.g., internally or with respect to external entities
such as other
circuits) in a specified manner as a module. In an example, the whole or part
of one or
more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system)
or one or
more hardware processors are configured by firmware or software (e.g.,
instructions, an
application portion, or an application) as a module that operates to perform
specified
operations. In an example, the software can reside on a non-transitory
computer readable
storage medium or other machine-readable medium. In an example, the software,
when
executed by the underlying hardware of the module, causes the hardware to
perform the
specified operations.
[00103] Accordingly, the term "module" is understood to encompass a tangible
entity,
be that an entity that is physically constructed, specifically configured
(e.g., hardwired),
or temporarily (e.g., transitorily) configured (e.g., programmed) to operate
in a specified
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manner or to perform part or all of any operation described herein.
Considering examples
in which modules are temporarily configured, each of the modules need not be
instantiated at any one moment in time. For example, where the modules
comprise a
general-purpose hardware processor configured using software, the general-
purpose
hardware processor is configured as respective different modules at different
times.
Software can accordingly configure a hardware processor, for example, to
constitute a
particular module at one instance of time and to constitute a different module
at a different
instance of time.
[00104] Implementations of the subject matter and the functional operations
described
in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, in
tangibly
embodied computer software or firmware, in computer hardware, including the
structures
disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in
combinations of one
or more of them. Implementations of the subject matter described in this
specification can
be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of
computer program instructions encoded on a tangible, non-transitory computer-
storage
medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing
apparatus.
Alternatively or in addition, the program instructions can be encoded on an
artificially
generated propagated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or
electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for
transmission to suitable
receiver apparatus for execution by a data processing apparatus. The computer-
storage
medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage
substrate,
a random or serial access memory device, or a combination of one or more of
them.
[00105] A computer program, which may also be referred to or described as a
program,
software, a software application, a module, a software module, a script, or
code can be
written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted
languages, or declarative or procedural languages, and it can be deployed in
any form,
including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or
other unit
suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may, but need
not,
correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of
a file that
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
holds other programs or data, e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup
language
document, in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in
multiple coordinated
files, e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub-programs, or portions
of code. A
computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple
computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites
and
interconnected by a communication network. While portions of the programs
illustrated
in the various figures are shown as individual modules that implement the
various features
and functionality through various objects, methods, or other processes, the
programs may
instead include a number of sub-modules, third-party services, components,
libraries, and
such, as appropriate. Conversely, the features and functionality of various
components
can be combined into single components, as appropriate.
[00106] The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be
performed
by one or more programmable computers executing one or more computer programs
to
perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The
processes and
logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented
as, special
purpose logic circuitry, e.g., a CPU, a GPU, an FPGA, or an ASIC.
[00107] The term "graphical user interface," or "GUI," may be used in the
singular or
the plural to describe one or more graphical user interfaces and each of the
displays of a
particular graphical user interface. Therefore, a GUI may represent any
graphical user
interface, including but not limited to, a web browser, a touch screen, or a
command line
interface (CLI) that processes information and efficiently presents the
information results
to the user. In general, a GUI may include a plurality of user interface (UT)
elements,
some or all associated with a web browser, such as interactive fields, pull-
down lists, and
buttons operable by the user. These and other UI elements may be related to or
represent
the functions of the web browser.
[00108] Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification
can be
implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as
a data
server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server,
or that
includes a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical
user interface
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of
the subject
matter described in this specification, or any combination of one or more such
back-end,
middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system 20 can be
interconnected by any form or medium of wireline and/or wireless digital data
communication, e.g., a communications network 605.
[00109] Various Notes
[00110] Each of the non-limiting aspects in this document can stand on its own
or can
be combined in various permutations or combinations with one or more of the
other
aspects or other subject matter described in this document.
[00111] The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying
drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by
way of
illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced.
These
embodiments are also referred to generally as "examples." Such examples can
include
elements in addition to those shown or described. However, the present
inventors also
contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are
provided.
Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examples using any
combination or
permutation of those elements shown or described (or one or more aspects
thereof), either
with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with
respect to
other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.
[00112] In this document, the terms "a" or "an" are used, as is common in
patent
documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances
or usages
of "at least one" or "one or more." In this document, the term "or" is used to
refer to a
nonexclusive or, such that "A or B" includes "A but not B," "B but not A," and
"A and
B," unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms "including" and
"in which"
are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms "comprising"
and
"wherein." Also, in the following claims, the terms "including" and
"comprising" are
open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or
process that
includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are
still deemed
to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the
terms "first,"
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
"second," and "third," etc., are used merely as labels, and are not intended
to impose
numerical requirements on their objects.
[00113] Method examples described herein can be machine or computer-
implemented
at least in part. Some examples can include a computer-readable medium or
machine-
readable medium encoded with instructions operable to configure an electronic
device to
perform methods as described in the above examples. An implementation of such
methods can include code, such as microcode, assembly language code, a higher-
level
language code, or the like. Such code can include computer readable
instructions for
performing various methods. The code may form portions of computer program
products. Such instructions can be read and executed by one or more processors
to enable
performance of operations comprising a method, for example. The instructions
are in any
suitable form, such as but not limited to source code, compiled code,
interpreted code,
executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like.
[00114] Further, in an example, the code can be tangibly stored on one or more
volatile, non-transitory, or non-volatile tangible computer-readable media,
such as during
execution or at other times. Examples of these tangible computer-readable
media can
include, but are not limited to, hard disks, removable magnetic disks,
removable optical
disks (e.g., compact disks and digital video disks), magnetic cassettes,
memory cards or
sticks, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), and the
like.
[00115]
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For
example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be
used in
combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of
ordinary
skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is
provided to allow
the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is
submitted with
the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or
meaning of the
claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be
grouped
together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as
intending that an
unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive
subject matter
may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus,
the following
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-11-17
claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description as examples or
embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and
it is
contemplated that such embodiments can be combined with each other in various
combinations or permutations. The scope of the invention should be determined
with
reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to
which such
claims are entitled.
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