WO2000068787A1

WO2000068787A1 - Method of controlling personal computer based on the accomplished results of studying

Info

Publication number: WO2000068787A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000437
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sung-Hee Kim
Original assignee: I & S Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: I & S Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-05-11
Filing date: 2000-05-09
Publication date: 2000-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2001-11-11
Also published as: KR20000073432A; AU4617700A

Abstract

A method of controlling a personal computer that is capable of inspiring a user's studying volition. In the method, a supervisor mode or a user mode is selected when a power has been applied to the personal computer. A password is inputted when the supervisor mode has been selected. If the input password is judged to be right, then a supervisor authorizes an inspection and an updating of a studying information and a computer control information and authorizes a use of the computer to a user. A computer use mode and a studying mode is selected when the user mode has been selected. An operating system is executed when the computer use mode has been selected and a computer use time is subtracted. The accomplished results of a studying regarding a selected studying course are checked when the studying mode has been selected. The computer use time is added in accordance with the accomplished results. Accordingly, the computer use time can be controlled on the basis of the accomplished results of a user's studying, thereby restraining an immoderate computer use as well as maximizing a studying effect.

Description

METHOD OF CONTROLLING PERSONAL COMPUTER BASED ON THE

ACCOMPLISHED RESULTS OF STUDING

Technical Field

This invention relates to a method of controlling a personal computer, and more particularly to a method of controlling a personal computer that is adapted to inspire a user's studying volition.

Background Art

In order to limit an immoderate use of a personal computer (PC) , there has been well known a scheme of establishing a password or code in a set-up program of the PC. However, such a scheme of establishing a password has problems in that a supervisor having knowledge of the password must always input the password troublesomely when an inevitable use of the PC is needed, and that it is impossible to use the PC when a supervisor is absent.

Recently, in order to allow a supervisor (e.g., parent) to limit a PC use of a user (e.g., child), there has been suggested a PC controlling method of authorizing a use of the PC depending upon whether a user has arrives at his studying target. However, such a PC controlling method causes a user to have rejection feelings toward a studying and a computer because, if a user has arrived at the studying target, a PC use itself is impossible.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling a computer that is capable of inspiring a user's studying volition.

In order to achieve these and other objects of the invention, a method of controlling a personal computer based on the accomplished results of a user according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of selecting a supervisor mode or a user mode when a power has been applied to the personal computer; inputting a password when the supervisor mode has been selected; if the input password is judged to be right, then authorizing an inspection and an updating of an studying information and a computer control information and authorizing a use of the computer to a user; selecting a computer use mode and a studying mode when the user mode has been selected; executing an operating system when the computer use mode has been selected and subtracting a computer use time; determining the accomplished results of a studying regarding a selected studying course when the studying mode has been selected; and adding the computer use time in accordance with the accomplished results.

Brief Description of Drawings

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a personal computer;

Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the control procedure of a PC control method based on the accomplished results of a user' s studying according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the control procedure in the supervisor mode in Fig. 2.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

Referring to Fig. 1, a personal computer (PC) includes a working memory 31, a high-capacity storage device 32, an input/output device 33, a display device 35 and a modem 36 that are commonly connected to a central processing unit (CPU) 34. As the input/output device 33 is mainly used a keyboard or a mouse, which may be compatible with a pen input device. The working memory 31 has a ROM including a system program and a RAM for storing a work data of the CPU 34 temporarily. The high-capacity storage device 32 includes a hard disc, a compact disc or a floppy disc, etc. A computer control program according to the present invention is stored in the hard disc. The modem 36 modulates and demodulates a data in accordance with a communication protocol so that a user may communicate with other users over a wire line or a wireless line. A studying data loaded by the computer control program according to the present invention is available by an optical recording medium, such as a compact disc, etc. or by a computer communication made via the modem 36. This studying data is periodically or non-periodically updated and added.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the control procedure of a PC control method based on the accomplished results of a user' s studying according to the present invention step by step. Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing a control procedure in the supervisor mode in Fig. 2. In the present computer control method, when a power is applied to the PC, a computer control program stored in a hard disc is loaded and executed by the CPU 34 prior to a loading of an operating system. This computer control program is a program for carrying out the present computer control method. Referring now to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the CPU 34 displays a mode selection field that allows a user to select any one of the supervisor mode and the user mode in accordance a control procedure of the computer control program. At step 100, if a user selects the supervisor mode via the input device 33 such as a keyboard or a mouse, then the computer control program executes a sub-routine Α" as shown in Fig. 3. In the subroutine A, if the supervisor mode has been selected, then a password input field is displayed to thereby allow a user to input a password or a code using a keyboard at step 114. If it is judged that the input password is identical to the predetermined password, that is, if it is judged that a current user is a supervisor at step 115, then a supervisor menu is executed at step 116. At step 117, by the supervisor menu, a supervisor can inspect an information about a user' s studying result and a remaining time, etc., and can update a control information so as to control the PC on the basis of the accomplished results of a user's studying. At step 118, a supervisor can select whether or not a window is used from the supervisor menu. If a user has selected an item of window use, then a window is executed at step 119. In this case, the supervisor can use a window without any limit. On the other hand, if it is judged that the input password is not identical to the pre-determined password at step 115, then the CPU 34 determines a user to be a user to whom an entry into the supervisor mode is forbidden (i.e., a student using the PC under control of a parent) . Thus, the CPU 34 is returned to a sub-routine ^*B" to be converted into the user mode.

If a user selects the user mode rather than the supervisor mode at step 101, then the CPU 34 allows a user to select the window use mode and the studying mode at step 102. If a user selects the studying mode rather than the window use mode at step 113, then a studying menu allowing a user to select a curriculum and a degree of difficulty, etc. is displayed. If a user selects his intended study course via the studying menu at step 103, then the corresponding studying course is conducted at step 104. After the completion of a studying, a test of the corresponding study course, that is, a test of the accomplished result of that studying is conducted at step 105. Then, the test results are displayed at step 106. At step 107, a test result value is stored in a database. At step 108, a computer use time added in accordance with this result value is summed with a computer use time established by a supervisor, and then the sum time is stored as an updated computer use time. After completion of the step 108, the step 102 is carried out again. Otherwise, if a user selects the window use mode at step 102, then a window is executed at step 109. The window use time is subtracted from a computer use time established by a supervisor at step 110, and the updated use time is checked by means of the CPU 34 at step 111. If the computer use time is not much time left, then the CPU 34 informs a user of the left time with the aid of a beep or an alert message, etc. at step 112. If a user intends to conduct a studying, then the step 103 is carried out again. Otherwise, if a user does not intend to conduct a studying, then the computer use time is ended. Thus, the system is terminated.

As described above, according to the present invention, the computer use time can be controlled on the basis of the accomplished results of a user' s studying, thereby restraining an immoderate computer use as well as maximizing a studying effect.

Although the present invention has been explained by the embodiments shown in the drawings described above, it should be understood to the ordinary skilled person in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments, but rather that various changes or modifications thereof are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention shall be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a personal computer based on the accomplished results of a user, comprising the steps of: selecting a supervisor mode or a user mode when a power has been applied to the personal computer; inputting a password when the supervisor mode has been selected; if the input password is judged to be right, then authorizing an inspection and an updating of an studying information and a computer control information and authorizing a use of the computer to a user; selecting a computer use mode and a studying mode when the user mode has been selected; executing an operating system when the computer use mode has been selected and subtracting a computer use time; determining the accomplished results of a studying regarding a selected studying course when the studying mode has been selected; and adding the computer use time in accordance with the accomplished results.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: if the input password is not judged to be right, then converting the computer into the user mode; and if it is judged that a certain computer use time is left, then informing a user of the left time.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a data related to the studying course is available by a recording medium and is added and updated.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, a data related to the studying course is available by a computer communication and is added and updated.