Robert A Alcorn

US Patent:

7493396, Feb 17, 2009

Filed:

Oct 13, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/251110

Inventors:

Robert L. Alcorn - Arlington VA, US
Daniel E. Cane - Washington DC, US
Michael L. Chasen - Washington DC, US
Timothy R. Chi - Fairfax VA, US
Stephen R. Gilfus - Woodbridge VA, US
Scott Perian - Washington DC, US
Matthew L. Pittinsky - Washington DC, US

Assignee:

Blackboard, Inc. - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 15/173

US Classification:

709225, 709203, 709217, 709204, 343350, 343204

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.

US Patent:

7558853, Jul 7, 2009

Filed:

Dec 29, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/648096

Inventors:

Robert L. Alcorn - Arlington VA, US
Daniel E. Cane - Washington DC, US
Michael L. Chasen - Washington DC, US
Timothy R. Chi - Fairfax VA, US
Stephen R. Gilfus - Woodbridge VA, US
Scott Perian - Washington DC, US
Matthew L. Pittinsky - Washington DC, US

Assignee:

Blackboard, Inc. - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 15/173

US Classification:

709225, 434323, 713200, 322350, 322336

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.

US Patent:

7788207, Aug 31, 2010

Filed:

Jul 9, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/822653

Inventors:

Robert L. Alcorn - Arlington VA, US
Deborah A. Everhart - Washington DC, US

Assignee:

Blackboard Inc. - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 17/00
G06N 5/02

US Classification:

706 49

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.

US Patent:

7908602, Mar 15, 2011

Filed:

Aug 19, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/643074

Inventors:

Robert L. Alcorn - Arlington VA, US
Scott N. Perian - Boulder CO, US
John S. Fontaine - Arlington VA, US
Dorothy R. Brown - Arlington VA, US
Christopher Etesse - Burke VA, US
David Yaskin - Arlington VA, US

Assignee:

Blackboard Inc. - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 9/445

US Classification:

717174, 709219, 715826

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.

US Patent:

20040153509, Aug 5, 2004

Filed:

Aug 19, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/643075

Inventors:

Robert Alcorn - Arlington VA, US
Scott Perian - Boulder CO, US
John Fontaine - , US
Daniel Rinzel - Arlington VA, US
Dorothy Brown - Arlington VA, US
Christopher Etesse - Burke VA, US
David Yaskin - , US

International Classification:

G06F015/16

US Classification:

709/205000

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.

US Patent:

20090317786, Dec 24, 2009

Filed:

May 22, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/470739

Inventors:

Robert L. Alcorn - Arlington VA, US
Daniel E. Cane - Washington DC, US
Michael L. Chasen - Washington DC, US
Timothy R. Chi - Fairfax VA, US
Stephen R. Gilfus - Woodbridge VA, US
Scott Perian - Washington DC, US
Matthew L. Pittinsky - Washington DC, US

International Classification:

G09B 7/00

US Classification:

434323

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.

US Patent:

20110010210, Jan 13, 2011

Filed:

Jul 10, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/500844

Inventors:

Robert L. ALCORN - Arlington VA, US
Deborah Everhart - Washington DC, US
Ramsey R. Chambers - Reston VA, US

International Classification:

G06Q 10/00
G06F 17/30
G06F 21/00
G06Q 50/00
G06Q 30/00

US Classification:

705 7, 726 3, 707E17044, 707E17107, 706 54, 707603, 707607

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.

US Patent:

6988138, Jan 17, 2006

Filed:

Jun 30, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/608208

Inventors:

Robert L. Alcorn - Arlington VA, US
Daniel E. Cane - Washington DC, US
Michael L. Chasen - Washington DC, US
Timothy R. Chi - Fairfax VA, US
Stephen R. Gilfus - Woodbridge VA, US
Scott Perian - Washington DC, US
Matthew L. Pittinsky - Washington DC, US

Assignee:

Blackboard Inc. - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 15/173

US Classification:

709225, 709203, 709218, 709217, 709204, 343350, 343204

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.