Patents by Inventor Robert L. Alcorn

Robert L. Alcorn has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • 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
  • Patent number: 7908602
    Abstract: A system, method and medium for providing and/or installing extensions to enhance functionality of a computer system. User roles may be provided or associated with extensible components in determining user access to the enhanced functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Scott N. Perian, John S. Fontaine, Daniel F. Rinzel, Jr., Dorothy R. Brown, Christopher Etesse, David Yaskin
  • Publication number: 20110010210
    Abstract: An educational asset distribution system including an asset registration module which obtains information about a plurality of educational assets, said information including fixed metadata descriptive of an educational asset, and information for accessing the educational asset; a learning management system interface which receives context data descriptive of a user of a learning management system; a dynamic metadata storage which stores a portion of the context data in association with the fixed metadata; and an educational assets management module for managing the plurality of educational assets based on the context data, the information about the plurality of educational assets, and data stored in the dynamic metadata storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Robert L. ALCORN, Deborah Everhart, Ramsey R. Chambers
  • Patent number: 7788207
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for integrating educational software. In one implementation, a first server receives an identifier of a second server that provides at least one source educational course. A second server receives metadata for the at least one source educational course and stores the metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Deborah A. Everhart
  • Publication number: 20090317786
    Abstract: A system and methods for implementing education online by providing institutions with the means for allowing the creation of courses to be taken by students online, the courses including assignments, announcements, course materials, chat and whiteboard facilities, and the like, all of which are available to the students over a network such as the Internet. Various levels of functionality are provided through a three-tiered licensing program that suits the needs of the institution offering the program. In addition, an open platform system is provided such that anyone with access to the Internet can create, manage, and offer a course to anyone else with access to the Internet without the need for an affiliation with an institution, thus enabling the virtual classroom to extend worldwide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Daniel E. Cane, Michael L. Chasen, Timothy R. Chi, Stephen R. Gilfus, Scott Perian, Matthew L. Pittinsky
  • Publication number: 20090182716
    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: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Deborah Everhart, Robert L. ALCORN
  • Patent number: 7558853
    Abstract: A system and methods for implementing education online by providing institutions with the means for allowing the creation of courses to be taken by students online, the courses including assignments, announcements, course materials, chat and whiteboard facilities, and the like, all of which are available to the students over a network such as the Internet. Various levels of functionality are provided through a three-tiered licensing program that suits the needs of the institution offering the program. In addition, an open platform system is provided such that anyone with access to the Internet can create, manage, and offer a course to anyone else with access to the Internet without the need for an affiliation with an institution, thus enabling the virtual classroom to extend worldwide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Blackboard, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Daniel E. Cane, Michael L. Chasen, Timothy R. Chi, Stephen R. Gilfus, Scott Perian, Matthew L. Pittinsky
  • Patent number: 7493396
    Abstract: A system and methods for implementing education online by providing institutions with the means for allowing the creation of courses to be taken by students online, the courses including assignments, announcements, course materials, chat and whiteboard facilities, and the like, all of which are available to the students over a network such as the Internet. Various levels of functionality are provided through a three-tiered licensing program that suits the needs of the institution offering the program. In addition, an open platform system is provided such that anyone with access to the Internet can create, manage, and offer a course to anyone else with access to the Internet without the need for an affiliation with an institution, thus enabling the virtual classroom to extend worldwide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Blackboard, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Daniel E. Cane, Michael L. Chasen, Timothy R. Chi, Stephen R. Gilfus, Scott Perian, Matthew L. Pittinsky
  • Publication number: 20090018986
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for integrating educational software. In one implementation, a first server receives an identifier of a second server that provides at least one source educational course. A second server receives metadata for the at least one source educational course and stores the metadata.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Deborah A. Everhart
  • Patent number: 6988138
    Abstract: A system and methods for implementing education online by providing institutions with the means for allowing the creation of courses to be taken by students online, the courses including assignments, announcements, course materials, chat and whiteboard facilities, and the like, all of which are available to the students over a network such as the Internet. Various levels of functionality are provided through a three-tiered licensing program that suits the needs of the institution offering the program. In addition, an open platform system is provided such that anyone with access to the Internet can create, manage, and offer a course to anyone else with access to the Internet without the need for an affiliation with an institution, thus enabling the virtual classroom to extend worldwide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Blackboard Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Daniel E. Cane, Michael L. Chasen, Timothy R. Chi, Stephen R. Gilfus, Scott Perian, Matthew L. Pittinsky
  • Publication number: 20040153508
    Abstract: A system, method and medium for providing and/or installing extensions to enhance functionality of a computer system. User roles may be provided or associated with extensible components in determining user access to the enhanced functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Scott N. Perian, John S. Fontaine, Daniel F. Rinzel, Dorothy R. Brown, Christopher E. Etesse, David Yaskin
  • Publication number: 20040153509
    Abstract: A system, method and medium for accessing a text editor, accessing a text tool, and associating text tool data with the text editor. The text editor may invoke the text tool. The text tool data may be stored as HyperText Markup Language, or translated to a displayable format at run time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Robert L. Alcorn, Scott N. Perian, John S. Fontaine, Daniel F. Rinzel, Dorothy R. Brown, Christopher Etesse, David Yaskin