Patents Assigned to Blackboard Inc.
  • Patent number: 9280759
    Abstract: A system for displaying at least one notification from at least one source includes a processor configured to access the at least one notification from the at least one source, the at least one notification comprising content and geographical information. The processor is further configured to display the notification on a map based on the geographical information of the notification. A method for displaying at least one notification from at least one source is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventor: Joshua Roth
  • Patent number: 9269324
    Abstract: Methods for presenting an orientation aware application on a device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving visual data providing an image of a physical three-dimensional environment and orientation data indicating an orientation of an actual device within the physical three-dimensional environment, and providing, for display on the actual device, a visual representation of a virtual device displaying an orientation aware application using the image of the physical three-dimensional environment. The visual representation of the virtual device appears within a simulated three-dimensional environment that is based on the orientation data indicating the orientation of the actual device within the physical three-dimensional environment. At least a portion of the area surrounding the visual representation of the virtual device includes a display of the simulated three-dimensional environment. Systems and machine-readable storage media are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin Grady Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9148471
    Abstract: A system for generalizing the format of instructional content for mobile delivery is disclosed. The system includes a processor configured to identify institutional content in a client-specific data file, and further configured to store, in a memory, the identified institutional content as generalized institutional content. The system also includes a communications module configured to receive, from a mobile device, a request for the generalized institutional content. The processor is configured to provide, to the mobile device in response to the request, the generalized institutional content in a format configured for display on the mobile device. Methods and machine-readable mediums are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBOARD INC.
    Inventors: Kayvon Beykpour, Aaron Wasserman, Ben Cunningham, Pablo Jablonski, Joseph Bernstein, Nils Rocine
  • Patent number: 9129090
    Abstract: A device for processing electronic transactions is disclosed. The device includes a processor configured to receive, from a client processing device, a request for information to complete an electronic transaction by a user at an access device affiliated with an educational institution. The processor is further configured to transmit, to the client processing device, a response to the request, the response configured to be transmitted by the client processing device to the access device. The request for information is triggered at the access device by an identification carrier. The response to the request includes at least one of a permission or denial whether to provide, to the user, access to an educational space or item, access to electronic educational information, or determining at least one of the price and availability of an educational item to the user. A client-side device is also disclosed. Methods and machine-readable mediums are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBOARD INC.
    Inventors: Dennis Cozart, Lorcan McGuinness
  • Patent number: 9053500
    Abstract: A system, method and medium for determining and displaying one or more locales on a web browser. The method can include the steps of providing in the web browser a plurality of display regions, associating a locale with a plurality of web pages, selecting by a user a user-specified locale, associating the locale with one or more particular display regions, and determining whether the locale is mandatory. If the locale is mandatory, content associated with the user-specified locale can be translated to content associated with the locale. Finally, content is displayed in the one or more particular frames in accordance with the locale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBOARD INC.
    Inventors: Christopher E. Etesse, Jennifer R. West, Michael L. Chasen
  • Patent number: 8875047
    Abstract: A graphical user interface system is provided. The system includes a display and a processor, coupled to the display, configured to display a window, in an initial position. Upon receiving a window docking input by a user indicating a request to dock the window at a predefined docking point, the processor is configured to dock the window at the predefined docking point. The docking of the window at the predefined docking point includes hiding a portion of the window. Upon receiving a window docking input by a user indicating a request to simultaneously dock each of a plurality of windows at a predefined docking point, the processor is configured to dock each of the plurality of windows at a corresponding position on the predefined docking point, including hiding a portion of each of the plurality of windows. Methods and computer-readable mediums are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Kayvon Beykpour, Ben Cunningham, Joseph Bernstein, Zexiao Yu
  • Patent number: 8763070
    Abstract: A system for processing electronic transactions according to policies is disclosed. The system includes a user module configured to store computer-readable information related to a user, and a policy module configured to store a plurality of policies for electronic transactions. Each policy for an electronic transaction includes a permission to access a physical space or item by a user. The system also includes a processor configured to receive a request to complete an electronic transaction by the user, and configured to dynamically apply, upon receipt of the request by the processor, the plurality of policies to the user based on the request to complete the electronic transaction. Methods and machine-readable mediums are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Cozart, Lorcan McGuinness, Michael Peterson
  • Patent number: 8745222
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing data files to a community of users. The data files relate to a plurality of courses. Each user is associated with one or more of the courses. The system includes client devices operated by the users and a server system in communication with the client devices over a network. The server system provides to the client devices access to data files relating to courses with which the users are associated. The server system also includes a content system for storing content items from users. The content items in the content system are selectable by users for inclusion in one or more of the plurality of data files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Rotau Chi, Daniel Cane, Lara Oerter, Jessica Finnefrock, Deborah Everhart, Michael Lewis Chasen
  • Patent number: 8700508
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for electronically providing spending information and budgeting recommendations to a student of an educational institution. The systems and methods comprise capturing student interaction data, wherein the student interaction data has one or more data elements. At least one of the captured one or more data elements is associated with student financial account usage. The systems and methods provide spending data based on the student financial account usage, and provide one or more spending recommendations based at least in part on the associated student financial account usage. The spending recommendations may be based at least in part on a student role (e.g., first year student, second year student, a transfer student, a non-traditional student, or a foreign student, etc.), demographic, activities attended, or academic major.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Blackboard, Inc.
    Inventor: David Yaskin
  • Publication number: 20140002443
    Abstract: Methods for augmenting a view of a physical environment with computer-generated sensory input are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving visual data providing for display an image of a physical three-dimensional environment and orientation data indicating an orientation of a device within the physical environment, and generating a simulated three-dimensional environment. The method also includes providing the image of the physical environment for display within the simulated environment, and providing at least one computer-generated visual object within the simulated environment for overlaying on the displayed image of the physical environment. The computer-generated visual object is displayed using perspective projection. Systems and machine-readable storage media are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BLACKBOARD INC.
    Inventor: Benjamin Grady CUNNINGHAM
  • Publication number: 20140002494
    Abstract: Methods for presenting an orientation aware application on a device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving visual data providing an image of a physical three-dimensional environment and orientation data indicating an orientation of an actual device within the physical three-dimensional environment, and providing, for display on the actual device, a visual representation of a virtual device displaying an orientation aware application using the image of the physical three-dimensional environment. The visual representation of the virtual device appears within a simulated three-dimensional environment that is based on the orientation data indicating the orientation of the actual device within the physical three-dimensional environment. At least a portion of the area surrounding the visual representation of the virtual device includes a display of the simulated three-dimensional environment. Systems and machine-readable storage media are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BLACKBOARD INC.
    Inventor: Benjamin Grady CUNNINGHAM
  • Patent number: 8412794
    Abstract: A system for integrating user-specific institutional content for mobile delivery is disclosed. The system includes a communications module configured to receive, from a mobile device, a request for target institutional content based on source institutional content and an identification of a user. The system also includes a processor configured to obtain, from a memory, the target institutional content based on the source institutional content and the identification of the user, and further configured to provide, to the mobile device in response to the request, the generalized institutional content in a format configured for display on the mobile device. Methods and machine-readable mediums are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Kayvon Beykpour, Aaron Wasserman, Ben Cunningham, Pablo Jablonski, Joseph Bernstein, Nils Rocine
  • Patent number: 8340991
    Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, modeling of different nodes of the institution is performed in a flexible manner that may apply to various institutions regardless of their particular organizational structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: David Yaskin, Greg Ritter
  • Patent number: 8340992
    Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, one or more concurrently active assessment projects may be associated with an assessment initiative. In this way, portions of data collection and reporting may be shared within the program initiative and its various, associated assessment projects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: David Yaskin, Greg Ritter
  • Patent number: 8341114
    Abstract: In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a system for storing data is provided. The system includes a processor that receives an application request to update a file on a server storage device, and generates, based on the request, a command to update the file on a server storage device. The system also includes a communications module that provides, to the server storage device, the command to update the file on the server storage device. The request is formatted for a file storage protocol of a client storage device, and the command is formatted for a file storage protocol of the server storage device. The command to update the file on the server storage device is not specific to the application generating the application request. Methods and computer-readable mediums are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Mast, Barry Lind, Tomas Ruzicka
  • Patent number: 8340993
    Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, the assessment management system may share data in a format that is importable by other management systems. Sharing of data does not necessarily mean the concurrent sharing of data but rather that the data is exported in a format that is transportable to another system. Portions of an assessment project may be shared in this way with other institutions even if the organization levels and other operating units are not the same between the two institutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: David Yaskin, Greg Ritter
  • Patent number: 8326659
    Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, a model is stored of a plurality of organizational levels of the institution, wherein each organizational level includes at least one respective, associated node. For any node, at least one customizable assessment project associated with that node is created and presented to a user; then, the at least one customizable assessment project is completed based, at least in part, on first input received from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: David Yaskin, Greg Ritter
  • Patent number: 8315893
    Abstract: A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, instruments may deployed selectively to a variety of different recipients. The selected group of recipients may be based on, for example, demographic, course, program, institution, section, education experience, and section-related criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: David Yaskin, Greg Ritter
  • Publication number: 20120254056
    Abstract: Systems for analytically combining student admissions data, enrollment data, and financial aid data to present relationships therein, are described. One exemplary system includes a processor configured to obtain admissions data, enrollment data, and financial aid data from respective databases in memory, and identify student data shared among any of at least two of them. The processor is further configured to associate each of the identified student data with a unique identifier, receive a first query for a report for a subset of the identified student data, and provide the report. The report is generated by detecting at least two of admissions data, enrollment data, and financial aid data for the subset using the unique identifiers associated with the subset. The report includes a relationship between any of at least two of admissions data, enrollment data, and financial aid data for the subset. Methods and machine-readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: BLACKBOARD INC.
    Inventors: Mark Jeffrey MAX, Jason Gregory White, Matthew Charles Kelly
  • Patent number: 8271420
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for integrating educational software. In one implementation, a first method includes providing on a first server an integrated learning management system adapted to exchange education data and materials via a connector interface, providing on the first server a first component which responds to requests made by the integrated system via the connector interface to exchange education data and materials with a first source learning management system, and exchanging education data and materials between the integrated system and the first system via the first component by use of the connector interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Deborah Everhart, Robert L. Alcorn