Abstract: An answer evaluation system has an answer tablet, having a plurality of holes forming a grid, wherein a colored translucent bead is insertable into hole. The answer tablet is received by an enclosure. The enclosure is adapted to direct light from a light sourced positioned below the answer tablet to the camera of a device. Further, the answer evaluation system processes images of the answer tablet to evaluate and score a corresponding test.

Abstract: A finger-sensing apparatus (23) and a method with a page detection mechanism (47). The apparatus (23) comprises a finger-sensitive substrate (26) having a plurality of keypads (30), a page detection mechanism (47), a control circuit (31) and a pliable media (25). When a finger (33) of a user is proximate to a keypad (30), the control circuit (31) detects a change in a characteristic at the keypad (30). The page detection mechanism (47) determines a page (24) exposed to the user and sends the information to the control circuit (31). The characteristic is a capacitance.

Abstract: A restaurant customer-survey system and device, which reduces employee fraud when a customer-satisfaction survey embedded in the device is conducted. The survey may be implemented in a pager, tip tray, or other computing device that includes an internally mounted camera that covertly takes a photograph of the survey participant. The photograph is date/time stamped and associated with a table number so that the waiter for the table can be identified. The survey results together with the associated photograph are uploaded to a management database. The restaurant manager can review the photographs to ensure that employees are not fraudulently conducting the surveys rather than customers. The system also enables the customer to interface with the restaurant's point-of-sale (POS) system to retrieve the customer's current bill or wirelessly make a payment from the table.

Abstract: A test form comprises a substrate, a chromogenic material applied to at least a top surface portion of the substrate, a removable opaque layer overlaying a portion of the chromogenic material, the chromogenic material being adapted to irreversibly generate a visible change in color to form a desired indicia, upon exposure of the area to an activating agent such as heat to predetermined areas on a bottom portion of the substrate, all without disturbing the opaque layer covering the indicia so produced. The present invention is further directed to a method and system for customizing a test form having a removable opaque layer, by permitting printing under the opaque layer to be concealed until the corresponding opaque layer covering the indicia is removed.

Abstract: An imaging system includes two sets of cameras: a first set for capturing optical mark or optical character recognition data and a second set for capturing visual images. Full visual images of pages containing answers to open-ended questions are retained and are retrievable by a reader such that an area of interest wherein the answer is expected is displayed, but the remaining area is also available for viewing. The system permits the alignment of a page based upon edge detection if the page contains only an open-ended answer, obviating the need for timing tracks. Hardware and software elements cooperate to store the image temporarily in a server having a response time commensurate with the scanner. The image is then processed with the use of high-performance index imaging for optical storage and retrieval, and then routed to a long-term storage device.

Abstract: An imaging system includes two sets of cameras: a first set for capturing optical mark or optical character recognition data and a second set for capturing visual images. Full visual images of pages containing answers to open-ended questions are retained and are retrievable by a reader such that an area of interest wherein the answer is expected is displayed, but the remaining area is also available for viewing. The system permits the alignment of a page based upon edge detection if the page contains only an open-ended answer, obviating the need for timing tracks. Hardware and software elements cooperate to store the image temporarily in a server having a response time commensurate with the scanner. The image is then processed with the use of high-performance index imaging for optical storage and retrieval, and then routed to a long-term storage device.

Abstract: An imaging system includes two sets of cameras: a first set for capturing optical mark or optical character recognition data and a second set for capturing visual images. Full visual images of pages containing answers to open-ended questions are retained and are retrievable by a reader such that an area of interest wherein the answer is expected is displayed, but the remaining area is also available for viewing. The system permits the alignment of a page based upon edge detection if the page contains only an open-ended answer, obviating the need for timing tracks. Hardware and software elements cooperate to store the image temporarily in a server having a response time commensurate with the scanner. The image is then processed with the use of high-performance index imaging for optical storage and retrieval, and then routed to a long-term storage device.

Abstract: An automatic grader device is provided including a scanner adapted to receive an answer key sheet and a plurality of student answer sheets and scan the sheets for storing the same electronically. Also included is a printer for printing copies of each of the student answer sheets scanned by the scanner and further printing additional characters thereon. An error detection mechanism serves to compare characters of each of the student answer sheets with those of the answer key sheet, deduct from a total score a worth of each error times a number of errors on each student answer sheet, print an "X" on the copy adjacent each error detected, and print a net score on the copy of the student answer sheet.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an optical mark sensing device known as a mark read scanner for reading marks on a form. This scanner is a stand-alone device that has an internal micro-controller with the controlling software therein. An external personal computer is not required to operate the scanner in its intended manner. "Graphic switches" are printed on the form to define the characteristics of a form to be scanned. The expense of replacing the internal program of a scanner when a user requests a variation of a test form that had not been pre-programmed into the original specifications of the scanner is eliminated.

Abstract: A talking electronic learning aid is operative for requesting one or more responses from the operator, receiving responses from the operator and then automatically adjusting the level of difficulty of subsequent requests dependent upon the prior responses of the operator. The device consists of an electronic memory for storing a plurality of data sets, a speech synthesizer, a keyboard input device, and a micro-controller for controlling operation of the device. Each of the data sets includes speech data from which requests for operator response are derived, and further includes corresponding control data related to the appropriateness of operator responses to the requests. Each of the data sets preferably reflects a different level of intellectual difficulty.

Abstract: A talking electronic learning aid is operative for requesting one or more responses from the operator, receiving responses from the operator, and then automatically adjusting the level of difficulty of subsequent requests dependent upon the prior responses of the operator. The device consists of an electronic memory for storing a plurality of data sets, a speech synthesizer, a keyboard input device, and a micro-controller for controlling operation of the device. Each of the data sets includes speech data from which requests for operator response are derived, and further includes corresponding control data related to the appropriateness of operator responses to the requests. Each of the data sets preferably reflects a different level of intellectual difficulty. In operation, the micro-controller selects a first data set, and further randomly accesses a portion of the speech data of the selected data set from which a random request for an operator response is derived.

Abstract: A scannable form and system, the form containing a plurality of response control marks including response control marks for controlling the input of numeric values, and other mode selection indicia. A specific teaching of the invention is the use of numeric value blocks to input a numeric value, such as the result of a related test, which is then mathematically combined with the tallied result of a set of multiple response inputs, such as a multiple choice test, to obtain a total. The numeric value can also be used to weight different responses.

Abstract: A test scoring machine apparatus is used for grading and scoring test papers and printing the scores directly on each test paper. The printer includes a printer driver and a print head for printing on single sheets of paper passing through the computer printer. A cut sheet feeder is attached to the computer printer for feeding single sheets of paper from a stack of paper to the printer. A light source is attached to the printer in a position for directing light onto the surface of one test sheet being fed from the sheet feeder into the computer printer. An optical reader is attached to the computer printer adjacent to the light source for reading the reflected light being reflected off the test sheet so that marks on each test sheet being fed into the printer are read by the optical reader.