Mobile teaching system

Abstract

A mobile teaching system is disclosed which allows the use of personal computing devices in a learning environment. A plurality of portable computers may communicate with a portable network center to undergo lesson plans, testing, and other educational tasks. The portable computers may be stored in a fixed or mobile storage unit that may also serve as a network communications center, and may also provide power connections for the computers. The computers may include removable, rechargeable batteries, which may be recharged at the storage unit.

We claim as our invention:  
     
         1 . A mobile computing system, comprising: 
 a portable cart having one or more wheels;    one or more shelves in said cart, storing a plurality of portable computers;    a battery storage area in said portable cart, storing a plurality of rechargeable batteries for said computers;    a power supply in said portable cart, wherein said power supply recharges said plurality of rechargeable batteries; and    a server in said portable cart, wherein said server is communicatively coupled to said plurality of portable computers.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said server communicates with said portable computers via wireless communications.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said portable cart further comprises a battery changing station having a power supply line to provide electrical power to one of said computers while a battery in said one of said computers is changed.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said server is communicatively coupled to a communications network external to said cart.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said communications network external to said cart is a local area network.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said communications network external to said cart is a telephone system.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said battery storage area is a drawer located above said one or more shelves.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said server communicates with said computers while said computers are stored within said cart.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said server updates software stored within said computers while said computers are stored within said cart.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said power supply recharges batteries that are connected to said computers while said computers are stored in said cart.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of panels enclosing contents of said cart, wherein one of said panels is a door.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising one or more external folding shelves.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of computers include student computers, and wherein said server is communicatively coupled to a teacher computer.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said teacher computer monitors said student computers.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said teacher computer is configured to assume control over one or more of said student computers.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said student computers include computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of said student computers, causes said student computers to administer an examination to students.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said computers are laptop computers having an elongated battery extending across a front of said computer.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said computers are laptop computers having a built-in radio frequency antenna.  
     
     
         19 . A mobile computing system, comprising: 
 a first portable cart having one or more wheels;    a plurality of laptop computers, stored on one or more shelves in said cart; and    a server on one of said shelves, wherein said server communicates with said laptop computers via wireless communication.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said server is communicatively coupled to a server located on a shelf of a second portable cart.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein a first computer, associated with said first portable cart, is communicatively coupled to a second computer, associated with said second portable cart, via said server of said first portable cart and said server of said second portable cart.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said first computer is a teacher computer, and said second computer is a student computer.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said teacher computer monitors said student computer.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said second computer roams between a communication coverage area of said server of said second cart and a communication coverage area of said server of said first cart.  
     
     
         25 . A mobile computing system, comprising: 
 a portable cart having one or more wheels;    a plurality of laptop computers, stored on one or more shelves in said cart; and    a plurality of rechargeable batteries for said laptop computers, stored in a battery area of said cart, wherein said batteries are recharged during storage in said cart.    
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said battery area is a drawer.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising a current limiting power supply located on said cart, wherein said current limiting power supply provides electrical power to one or more of said plurality of rechargeable batteries.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said cart further comprises a battery changing station having a power cord compatible with said laptop computers.  
     
     
         29 . A system, comprising: 
 a portable case having a lid, and configured to store a plurality of portable computers;    a plurality of wheels located at a first end of said case, and one or more handles located at a second end of said case; and    a network server, located within said case, wherein said network server communicates with one or more computers.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein said network server further communicates with a plurality of portable computers stored in said portable case.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , further comprising a power supply, located in said case, that provides electrical power to one or more portable computers stored within said case.  
     
     
         32 . A portable computer cart, comprising: 
 a body comprised of one or more panels, and having a plurality of sides;    a plurality of wheels under said body, and one or more handles attached to said body;    a door on at least one side of said body;    one or more shelves within said body, storing a plurality of laptop computers within said cart;    a power supply providing electrical power to said plurality of laptop computers; and one or more fans.    
     
     
         33 . The cart of  claim 32 , wherein said wheels are caster wheels, and include a braking mechanism.  
     
     
         34 . The cart of  claim 32 , wherein said door further includes one or more locks.  
     
     
         35 . The cart of  claim 32 , wherein one or more of said panels includes one or more ventilation openings.