Electronic Message Board for Instructor Availability and Location Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Students face difficulties in locating professors or instructors outside of scheduled classes to ask questions or seek help, as existing methods lack an efficient way to communicate availability and share relevant information within a community.
Innovation Solution
An electronic message board system that includes a hardware component with a processing module, display panel, communications module, and global positioning software, allowing users to transmit and receive location data and messages, enabling secondary users to view the current location and access information about the first user, such as schedules and notifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If students attempt to find instructors at their office, then they can ask questions or get help, but the instructor may not be present for a number of reasons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electronic message board as an intermediary system between students and instructors. The board displays instructor availability status and allows students to leave messages, eliminating the need for students to physically search for instructors who may not be present. This mediator system ensures reliable communication regardless of instructor physical availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by displaying instructor availability status before students arrive. The message board shows whether instructors are available, in meetings, or away, allowing students to plan their visits accordingly and avoid wasted trips when instructors are unavailable.
2Ease of operation
If an electronic message board displays location information, then students can easily locate instructors, but the system requires integration with positioning technology
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic message board serves multiple functions: displaying instructor availability, showing location information, and integrating with GPS positioning systems. By making the board universal and multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated systems, thereby managing complexity while providing comprehensive location and availability information.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and systems for managing and communicating the availability of a first user to a community using an electronic message board connected to a wall or door. The electronic message board may display messages to the community. The first user and the community may leave recorded audio and/or video messages for each other on the electronic message board through a user interface and the location of the first user may be determined by the electronic message board and displayed to the community.