Multiple aptitude testing device

19 Pages·2013·2.21 MB·English

United States Patent _[191 [11] Patent Number: 4,541,806
Zimmerman et al. [45] Date of Patent: Sep. 17, 1985
[54] MULTIPLE APTITUDE TESTING DEVICE evaluating an examinee’s capacity or aptitude toward
performing various vocational tasks. The device in
[75] Inventors: Bonnie L. Zimmerman, Greenhill
Farms; Thomas W. Gannaway, cludes a test station which affords ?ve general types of
examinations, namely, objective question and answer
Overbrook Hills; Lawrence J.
Resinski, Hatboro; Philip S. DeVita, tests, a manual dexterity test, a ?nger dexterity test, a
Richboro, all of Pa. hand/eye coordination test, and a hand/ eye/ foot coor
dination test. The question and answer examinations
[73] Assignee: Jewish Employment and Vocational
entail interchangable overlays which contain questions
Service, Philadelphia, Pa.
and possible answers such that the examinee selects
[21] Appl. No.: 416,439 what he deems is the correct answer by contacting an
appropriate sensor on the housing with an electrically
[22] Filed: Sep. 10,1982
conductive answer probe. The other four examinations
[51] Int. Cl.4 .............................................. .. G09B 7/06 entail counters for electronically measuring the number
[52] US. Cl. .................................. .. 434/258; 434/ 338; of times the examinee is able to perform a manipulative
434/353; 434/362 task during a ?xed period of time. The device provides
[58] Field of Search ............. .. 434/258, 259, 335, 336, an electronic comparator for automatically grading the
434/338, 350, 351, 353, 365, 224
examinations and displaying or printing a test score
[56] References Cited associated with each of said tests. The device 20 is fur
ther designed to generally recognize which test is being
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
conducted based on which of the various attachments
3,100,352 8/1963 Boissevain ......................... .. 434/338 or overlays are connected to the device. Although the
3,538,626 11/1970 Frank ...... .. 434/350 test station is generally self-contained, e.g., not requir
3,611,588 10/1971 Torretta 434/258
ing separate answer booklets, writing utensils, etc., the
4,166,325 9/1979 Weber ............................... .. 434/338
preferred embodiment of the device entails using a sepa
Primary Examiner—Richard C. Pinkham
rate master control unit which enables simultaneous,
Assistant Examiner-Leo P. Picard
synchronized control of up to four test stations.
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—-Caesar, Rivise, Bernstein &
Cohen, Ltd.
[57] ABSTRACT
A multiple aptitude testing device for electronically 37 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures
US. Patent Sep. 17,1985 Sheet 1 of 5 4,541,806

US. Patent Sep. 17,1985 Sheet 3 of5 4,541,806
TEST NERgCRESS
L/8 _3_Q
L2 PH070 TRANS/ST0R 4
PH0T0CELLS ——- “xi/557T“ L—>AN$WER PATTERN SELECT
200 ———-L TEST SELECT
_" TEST /N PR0CESS
L8 AB+0RT U8 5MB???
__.. , L/2 ANSW
START L/0 START/STOP L/6 COM/DAWSON %%LIJL_’
STOP —U—4- 0ETECTOR ——-/DLE
EXT START/STOP __ MEANS 202 (TO ALL MODULES) L23
(FROM MASTER Q L76 FOOT PEDAL
C0NTR0L 00x) ‘ ALLow TEST FOOTLZ/ L6
PEDALQ 0ETECT0R _,_
, ANSWER PR0BE MEANS 205 TEST
L20 0ETECT0R L __ SELECT
ANSWER PROBE —+ MEANS 204 T557- We
_-_ SELECT LATCH TEST /N
TEST PR0CRESS
22 ANSWER SELECTlLs {U8
L __ A
ANSWER C0NTACTS—’ CONTACT L24 ANSWER ST0RACE
0ETECT0R
MEANS MEANS 2/6
TAEORT L48
L26 SECUENCE L28
SEQUENCE —» 0ETECT0R208 —-SE0UENCE SC0RES
MEANS -— ‘ TEST /N
0ExTER/TY L30 DEXTER/7.), U5 mas/E55
CONTACTS CONTACT L32 DEXTER/TY ‘—ABORT
MANUAL/F/NCER 0ETECT0R COUNTER L49 L83
gi'lTrEé'gTr SELECT MEANS 2/0 MEANS gig ——_-P
60/-/Z(T0MASTER —-—| L6 VESTSELECT
C0NTR0L 00x) L34 L39 L40 ‘
//0 MC 60HZ - P0wER SUPPLY P0wER LAMP
P0wER Sw/TCH L36- 2L2 “if-50%? 9_5
P0wER (T0 MASTER____J L38
C0NTR0L UNIT) MODULES)
L74 TEST/RESET L80 LAMP TEST
TEST _’ 0PERATE 73
KEY RESET L74 DETECTOR L__ CLEAR ( T0 ALL M00ULES
‘SW/Tc” 0PERATE L_..74 MEANS 248 —>L76 ALLOW TEST
Q
IDLE
L85 PRAC‘77CE/ABORT L83
PRASCwT//TCCEH/ AECRT ——‘ ME A”S §4_9 —->ABORT F/.
US. Patent Sep. 17,1985 Sheet40f5 4,541,806
4
ANSWER i-ANSWER PATTERN SELECT
30 PATTERN
MEMORY
MEANS £2
LAMP
‘L50 U2 ENABLE 755T
LL80
ANSWER __ANSwER
L44 COMPARATOR cOMPAR/SON
‘_'_'_-" MEANS 224 FRONT PANEL L68 FRONT
L46 _ LEO OR/vER PANEL
_—_| L46 F’MEANS L5’ LEOIS
____l
——- GENERATOR
L56
3535, MEANS 226 L/8
TEST L48 L52 TEST IN PROGRESS I
SELECT L6
RANOOM ANSWER
FOOT L23 COMPARATOR
PEDAL —- MEANS 228
OERRESSEO L56 _
CORRECT ANSWER
‘ ' L83 RANOOM ANSWER
ABORT ——- cOuNTER
MEANS 2_30 /32
L46“ L58 __ _ g __ __
ScORE MEMORY |L63 L80
smug/‘165+ MEANS 232 L601 TEST PATTERN L70 TEST
L6 7557 | DISPLAY PATTERN
SCORES” ‘SEA DR/VER i2 0m”
[— _ — L62 MEANS MEANS
SOORE DISPLAY L80 (97
OR/vER 234 _-LAMR
l MEANS TEST
| , L64 PR/NTER L 72
/NTER/-'AcE —>P/?/NTER
ScORE D/SPLAY
MEANS 44 cONNEcTOR
I MEANS 99 L 4
|__ _ ____________J
FIG 4B

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tasks in a reliable and efficient manner, utilizing a gener
MULTIPLE APTITUDE TESTING DEVICE ally self-contained examination device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF ,THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the instant invention are
This invention relates generally to testing devices and
achieved by providing an electronic testing device
more particularly to a multi-function electronic testing
which utilizes a plurality of objective test questions to
device.
evaluate an examinee. The device includes a housing
Prior art testing methods used for objectively evalu
and overlay means which is releasably secured to the
atingan examinee’s knowledge of a particular subject
housing. The overlay means contains a plurality of
area or his or her aptitude for performing tasks in a
questions and a plurality of possible answers corre
particular academic or vocational ?eld typically entail
sponding to each of those questions. The overlay means
an examination comprising a set of written objective
further includes coding means which communicate
questions which the examinee answers using a writing
with corresponding means on the housing to specify a
instrument and paper.
set of correct answers to the questions. Electronic selec
More sophisticated testing techniques or systems
tor means enables the examinee to select an answer for
which are available utilize specially designed answer
each of the questions. Comparison means then com
sheets which are arranged to be marked in predesig
pares the selected answers with the correct set of an
nated locations using a prescribed writing instrument
swers. To that end, indicator means responsive to the
(e.g., a No. 2 lead pencil), thus enabling the test to be
comparison means produces a test score signal to indi
electronically graded. Although these prior art systems
cate the degree of correspondence between the correct
are generally satisfactory for their intended purpose,
set of answers and the selected answers, thus indicating
they generally still necessitate the use of disposable
the examinee’s level of performance on the test.
materials such as answer sheets which must then be
graded at some later point in time. To that end, the DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
25
aggregation of a large quantity of these answer sheets or Other objects and many of the attendent advantages
other written materials tends to be cumbersome to han
of the invention are readily appreciated as the same
dle as well as to grade, and generally does not enable becomes better understood by reference to the follow
immediate ascertainment of the test results. ing detailed description when considered in connection
With regard to vocational testing, there is a general 30 with the accompanying drawing wherein:
lack of adequate means for objectivly evaluating a per
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one test station of a
son’s level of motor skill coordination or motor skill multiple aptitude test device, including a portion of a
manipulative ability as it pertains to the person’s capac question and answer overlay and various other attach
ity for performing various vocational tasks. Conse
ments used in combination with the device, all con
quently, whether a person has suf?cient manual dexter 35 structed in accordance with this invention;
ity or other motor skills necessary in order to perform FIG. 2 is a reduced rear elevational view of the test
various vocational tasks is typically not ascertained
station; .
prior to that person’s demonstrated ability or inability, FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a master-control unit
as the case may be, to perform those tasks while on the constructed in accordance with this invention and used
job. This obviously, is neither a cost effective nor other in combination with at least one test station;
wise desirable method for ascertaining a candidate’s FIGS. 4A and 4B together comprise a functional
ability to satisfactorily perform a particular industrial block diagram of one test station; and
task. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the master
control unit;
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
45
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
provide a device which overcomes the disadvantages EMBODIMENT
inherent in prior art vocational aptitude testing devices. Referring now to the various ?gures of the'drawing
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wherein like reference characters refer to like parts
generally self-contained testing device arranged to mea there is shown at 20 in FIG. 1 one test station or unit of
sure both cerebral as well as manipulative aptitudes a multiple aptitude test device constructed in accor
without necessitating the use of disposable answer dance with the instant invention. The device 20 is de
forms, test booklets, paper, pencils, writing instruments signed to evaluate the vocational aptitudes of an exam
and the like. inee based on his or her selected answers to a plurality
It is a further object of the invention to provide a of objective test questions, typically of the multiple
device which is readily utilized to administer an objec choice type. Additionally, the test station 20 is designed
tive test consisting of a plurality of multiple choice to objectively evaluate a person’s actual capacity for
questions, in a manner which provides means for auto performing various tasks requiring motor skills (motor
matically evaluating the examinee’s performance (i.e., skills shall refer to manual dexterity, ?nger dexterity,
automatically grading the examination). 60 hand/eye coordination and hand/eye/foot coordina
It is a further object of the invention to provide test tion) using various objects or attachments which the
ing means which enable simultaneous evaluation of examinee must manipulate as shall be described later.
several examinees when a plurality of testing units are The testing unit 20 is entirely self-contained in that it
being used and controlled by a single master control does not require separate question booklets, disposable
unit. 65 answer sheets or writing instruments. Moreover, the
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a examinee’s level of performance on a given test is elec
device which objectively measures a person’s aptitude tronically evaluated and a test score is almost immedi
for performing various cerebral as well as manipulative ately displayed following the taking of the test either by
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digital display means or by being printed as hard copy this invention provides a hand/ eye coordination test, a
by a conventional electronic printing device. hand/ eye/ foot coordination test, a manual dexterity test
Although as just mentioned, the test station device 20 and a ?nger dexterity test, each of which shall be de
can be used alone as a self-contained unit, the preferred scribed in detail .later.
embodiment of the invention makes use of a master-con- 5 Any number and/or combination of the 19 above
trol unit 22 as shown in FIG. 3. The master control unit referred to tests may be given to an examinee either
22 enables the test administrator to synchronize and sequentially at one test session or at different sessions to
simultaneously control a plurality of separate test sta obtain a comprehensive evaluation of the examinee’s
tions, each one being identical to the one shown at 20 in vocational aptitudes. It should further be pointed out
FIG. 1. The master control unit also provides various 10 that the device 20 is not restricted to being used for
other convenience features to be described later. measuring vocational aptitudes since the question and
The test station 20 basically comprises a housing 24, answer examinations may readily be used for any pur
overlay means 26, probe means 28, electronic evaluator pose whatsoever, e.g., measuring a person’s I.Q.,
means 30 (FIGS. 4A and 4B), sensor means 31, and knowledge in a particular subject area, etc.
indicator or display means 32 (FIG. 2). 15 In order to administer a question and answer type
To administer a question and answer type examina examination, e.g., a multiple choice examination, an
tion, e.g., a multiple choice test, overlay means 26 con overlay 26 containing up to 30 questions and up to four
taining questions and a plurality of possible answers to possible answers associated with each of those questions
each question is temporarily mounted on the test station is secured to the test station 20. For each particular
housing 24. The examinee selects what he or she deems 20 question on the overlay, the examinee selects the an
is the correct answer to each question by contacting swer he or she deems correct by touching the probe
with the probe means 28 the sensor or electrical contact means 28 to a sensor 31 (to be described later) on the
of the sensor means 31 associated with (e.g., situated front panel of the housing which is adjacent the answer
adjacent) the selected answer for each question. Upon being selected. Upon completion of the test, the elec
completion of the examination, the electronic evaluator 25 tronic evaluator means 30 electronically compares the
means 30 electronically compares the selected answers selected answers to a predetermined set of correct an
with a predetermined set of correct answers and then_ swers, generating a signal which the indicator means 32
produces a signal which the indicator means 32 displays converts into a displayed test score to indicate the ex
or alternatively prints (by means of an optional printer) aminee’s level of performance on the test.
as a test score. With regard to the four skill examinations, the exam
As mentioned above, the test station 20 also includes inee’s level of performance is measured in terms of how
various attachments and other objects which shall be many times he or she is able to perform a given manipu
described later, for objectively evaluating the examin lative task within a ?xed period of time. In that regard,
ee’s capacity for performing various tasks requiring the probe means 28, a foot pedal (to be described later)
manipulative motor skills. 35 and a pair of threaded screw-in members (also to be
The electronic evaluator means 30 includes a plural described later), are utilized alone or in various combi
ity of electronic circuits which are located within the nations with one another with the test station for the
test station’s housing 24 and are best illustrated by different motor skill tests. The electronic evaluator
means of a functional block diagram such as the one means 30 in the station evaluates the examinee’s perfor
shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and which shall be de- 40 mance on the tests by producing a signal which the
scribed in detail later. indicator means 32 converts into a digitally displayed
With regard to the multiple choice question and an test score.
swer examinations, the test station 20 is arranged to be Referring to FIG. 1, the test station 20 comprises a
used in combination with a plurality of interchangable generally triangularly shaped housing 24 which in
overlays 26, with each overlay 26 containing up to 30 45 cludes a front wall or panel 36, a pair of matching,
multiple choice questions. In that regard, each question generally triangularly shaped side wall 38 (only one side
contains up to four possible answers from which the wall being shown), a bottom wall (not shown) and a
examinee is to select the one correct answer. Each over rear wall 40 (FIG. 2). The front panel 36, the rear wall
lay comprises an opaque, semi-flexible sheet made from 40 and the bottom wall are each generally rectangularly
an extrudable molded plastic, such as polystyrene, upon 50 shaped with the rear wall and bottom wall joining at
which the questions and associated answers are printed. approximately right angles to each other. The front
The overlays, of course, may also be constructed of a panel 36 and bottom surface join at approximately a 60
wide variety of other durable materials capable of con degree angle to each other while the front panel and
taining or representing written material. Alternatively, rear wall join at approximately a 30 degree angle to
the questions and answers may be secured to the over- 55 each other. Thus, when the bottom wall of the test
lays by means of adhesive labels. station housing 24 is resting on a generally horizontal
The test station 20 is arranged to automatically recog surface, e. g., a desk top, the front panel 36 of the station
nize which overlay is being used, with the present em is canted upward from horizontal at approximately a 60
bodiment of the device having recognition capabilities degree angle. This feature promotes ease of vision and
for recognizing as many as 15 different overlays and for 60 operation by the examinee.
storing in memory an equal number of answer patterns. As shown in FIG. 1, the front panel 36 includes the
However, the test station 20 may readily be adapted to heretofore identi?ed sensor means 31. Those means
receive additional overlay tests if desired. comprise one-hundred-twenty individual sensors or
A commercial embodiment of the test station 20 pro contacts 42 and one-hundred-twenty associated LEDs
vides means for administering ?ve general types of 65 44 arranged in thirty groups 34 of four contacts 42 and
examinations and a total of 19 separate examinations four LEDs 44, each. In particular, in each group 34,
when 15 question and answer overlays are used. In each contact 42 is paired with an associated LED 44.
addition to the 15 question and answer examinations, Moreover, the sensor/contact groups 34 are divided
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into two main sections of ?fteen groups each, one sec member 58 to test an examinee’s manual dexterity. The
tion arranged in a vertical column on the left hand side manual dexterity test measures the examinee’s capacity
of the front panel 36 and the other section similarly for quickly screwing the knob 58 into and then out of
arranged on the panel’s right hand side. Each of the the holes 54A and 54B, in alternating succession.
sensor/contacts 42 comprises an electrical contact re . The second pair of screw holes 56A and 56B is of a
cessed within a hole 41 in the front panel of the housing. substantially lesser bore than the ?rst pair and is used to
In the question/answer test mode, when a contact 42 test the examinee’s ?nger dexterity by measuring his or
is touched with the probe means 28, its paired LED 44 her capacity for quickly threading a relatively small
is illuminated. The sensor 42 further transmits a signal externally threaded screw member 62 into and out of
to the electronic evaluator means 30 to indicate that the holes 56A and 56B. Adjacent and between the two pairs
answer associated with that particular contact 42 had
of screw holes is an indicator lamp 64 (e.g., an LED)
been selected. In that regard, when a particular overlay
which momentarily lights, i.e., blinks, to indicate to the
26 containing questions and possible answers is attached
examinee that he or she has screwed either object 58 or
to the front panel 36, each possible answer on the over
62, respectively, into the appropriate screw hole suffi
lay is aligned to correspond with a particular contact 42
ciently far to have registered a “score” with the testing
and LED 44 pair. Moreover, the overlay 26 contains
device.
one-hundred-twenty holes 46 corresponding in position
The probe means 28 basically comprises an elongated
to the one-hundred-twenty contacts 42 and one~hun
member having a conductive tip 65, an electrically
dred-twenty holes 48 corresponding in position to the
insulated handle portion 67, and a male electrical plug
one-hundred-twenty LEDs, respectively. Thus, to se
68. The plug is electrically connected to the tip 65 by
lect a particular answer the probe means 28 is readily
means of a ?exible electrical conductor 69. The probe
inserted ‘through a hole 46 in the overlay sheet 26 in
means 28 readily attaches to or is removed from the side
order to touch the corresponding sensor 42. The LEDs
of the device’s housing. To that end, situated on the side
(visible through holes 48) enable the examinee to later
wall 38 of the housing is a female connector 66 arranged
see which answer he has selected. 25
to receive the mating male plug 68. On the opposite side
Adjacent the top comers of the front panel 36 are a
pair of mounting pegs 49 which project through corre wall (not shown) of the housing is a similar female con
sponding holes 51 in the overlay. The pegs hold the nector, also arranged to receive the same probe 28
overlay 26 at precisely the correct position by aligning should the examinee feel more comfortable using a
probe which is connected to the left hand side of the
the holes 46 and 48 of the overlay 26 with the contacts 30
housing 24.
and LEDs 42 and 44, respectively, on the front panel 36.
The side wall 38 of the housing also includes a storage
In addition, a set of bottom retainers 43 are located
adjacent the two bottom corners of the front panel 36. receptacle 70 for storing the AC power line cord (not
A top clamp 45 is located at an upper central portion on shown), the probe means 28, the knob 58, and the screw
the front panel. The retainers serve to hold the bottom I3 5 62, when these respective members are not being used.
corners of the overlay, while the top clamp holds the The bottom wall of the housing 24 includes four
top edge of the overlay thus, further securing the over rubber feet (not shown) to inhibit movement of the test
lay to the panel. station along the horizontal surface upon which the
Also situated on the front panel 36 is a set of four station is resting. In addition to the rubber feet, the
optical sensors 50 (e.g., phototransistors) which coact bottom wall of the housing 24 includes a threaded hole
with circuitry, to be described later, to electronically (not shown) to enable the device to be bolted to the
ascertain whether an overlay is in place and, if so, horizontal supporting surface, where desired.
which overlay test is present. In that regard, each over Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a foot pedal 72 is used
lay contains up to three holes 52 at positions corre when conducting a test for measuring the examinee’s
sponding to any of the four sensors 50. Thus, ambient 45 hand/eye/foot coordination. The pedal 72 is connected
room light passing through the holes 52 is received (by to the device 20 by means of an electrical conductor 71.
the binary code signal) indicative of the particular over The conductor terminates in a male plug (not shown)
lay which is being used. In other words, each overlay is which is readily connected to a corresponding female
coded with a binary code formed by the combined connector 73 on the back wall of the housing (FIG. 2)
presence and absence of holes 52 at the four locations when the pedal 72 is to be used.
corresponding to the four photocells 50. When all four The foot pedal 72 is used for measuring the examin
photocells are exposed to light (i.e., are not covered), ee’s capacity for performing various vocational tasks
the device 20 recognizes this situation to mean that an requiring foot movements similar to those required in
overlay is not being used and that one of the four motor depressing and then releasing a foot pedal. The pedal 72
skill tests (to be described later) is being conducted. The 55 basically comprises an upper plate 74 and a lower plate
binary code produced by the presence and absence of 75 pivotably connected to each other by means of a
holes 52in the overlay is used by the evaluator means to hinge rod 76 and includes an electrical contact (not
select the appropriate answer set to be utilized in grad shown) attached to the upper plate and a separate elec
ing the test. The binary coded signal is also used to trical contact attached to the lower plate. The contacts
enable the indicator means 32 to display an identifica are in communication with means in the evaluator such
tion number associated with the test being run. that when the upper plate is stepped on, its contact
The test station 20 also includes 2 pairs of internally contacts the contact of the lower plate 75 to close an
threaded screw holes used to test the examinee’s manual electrical circuit in the evaluator, causing an electrical
dexterity. Those holes pairs are 54A and 54B and 56A signal to be generated.
and 5613. The left side hole of each pair is denoted by 65 As can be seen in FIG. 2, the rear surface 40 of the
the letter “A” and the right side hole by the letter “B”. test station 20 also includes various operational con
The ?rst pair of holes 54A and 54B is used in combina trols, e.g., a start button 78, a stop button 80, a sequence
tion with a relatively large externally threaded knob button 82, an on/off switch 84, a manual/?nger dexter
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ity select switch 85, a practice abort switch 86 and an indicator means 32 to light, thus assuring the test admin
operate/ reset (or key switch) 88. istrator that all of the LEDs and display means are
The on/off switch 84 turns the power to the test functioning. Once the test administrator is satis?ed that
station 20 either on or off, respectively. the unit 20 is functioning properly, the key switch 88 is
The start button 78 is arranged to start the test and the turned to the “reset” position causing the front panel
stop button 80 is arranged to stop the test when de LEDs and the score display LEDs 99 to extinguish and
pressed, respectively. the test pattern display portion 97 of the indicator
The sequence button 82 is pressed in order to display means 32 to display the two digit number “00". At this
the test scores of previously conducted tests. point the station is ready for use in a testing operation.
The manual/ ?nger dexterity select switch 85 selects O When the instructor presses the start button 78 on the
either the manual dexterity or ?nger dexterity mode of rear panel the system 20 is actuated, allowing the exam
operation depending on the position of the switch. inee to start the test. At this point, a two digit number
The practice/ abort switch 86 enables the examinee to identifying the particular test being run appears on the
take a “trial-run” of a test before taking the actual test test identi?cation display means 97. The examinee then
which’ is to be graded. To that end, when the switch 86 5 selects his ?rst answer by inserting the tip 65 of the
is moved to the abort position, the previously selected answer probe 28 into the hole 46 adjacent the answer he
answers or scores for the particular test being con or she wishes to select for the particular question. The
ducted are cleared from memory so that the test may be tip 65, thus makes electrical contact with the contact 42.
re-started. The examinee repeats this process for each question on
The operate/reset switch 88 is generally referred to 20 the test until the test is stopped either by the test admin
as a “key switch” since a key (not shown) must be used istrator, or automatically by operation of the master
in order to operate the switch. The key switch 88 con control unit 22 (as shall be described later), or the exam
trols the operation of the station 20, as shall be described inee has answered all of the questions and is satis?ed
later. The key requirement is obviously for security with the answers he or she has selected.
reasons to enable only the test administrator or some 25 In FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of an exemplary
other designated person(s) to control the operation of examination overlay sheet having questions which re
the device 20. Also situated on the rear wall of the test quire the examinee to compare and match the ?gures.
station is a master control unit jack 90, a cap 91 provid The “question” ?gure is located on the left of the over
ing access to a fuse holder, a printer jack 92, an AC line lay sheet and designated by the reference numeral 98A.
cord jack 94 and a power lamp 95. The four possible “answer” ?gures are to the right of
Also situated on the rear wall of the housing is the the “question” ?gure and are designated by the refer
previously mentioned indicator means 32 which dis ence numerals 98B-98D, respectively. The examinee
plays the examinee’s test score along with a two digit must select the answer ?gure which best matches the
identi?cation number identifying the particular test to question ?gure. For instance, in FIG. 1 referring to
which the score relates. The indicator means 32 com 35 question No. 1, to select the correct answer the exam
prises a ?ve digit LED display. The ?rst and second inee must touch the probe 28 to the answer 98C since
digits comprise the test identi?cation display means 97 the “T-square” shown there best matches the T-square
while the third, fourth and ?fth digits comprise the test shown on the question portion 98A of the overlay.
score display means 99. In that regard, the test identi? When the examinee selects his or her answer by touch
cation display means 97 utilizes a two digit number to ing the answer probe 28 to a particular answer contact
identify which test score is being displayed while the 42, the LED 44 adjacentthat contact is illuminated. An
test score display means displays a three digit test score answer may be changed at any time during the test and
number to indicate the level of performance on that prior to the test being scored merely by touching the
particular test. probe 28 to another answer hole 42 for that question.
The ?ve different types of tests made available using 45 This results in the LED 44 adjacent this latter selection
the device 20 shall now be described individually in being illuminated and the originally illuminated LED
detail. being extinguished. Furthermore, an answer is elimi
As shown in FIG. 1, a question and answer type nated by touching the hole next to the lit LED with the
examination is run by ?rst attaching a particular ques probe 28.
tion and answer overlay 26 to the front panel 36 of the Where a master control unit 22 is not being used, the
device 20. In so doing, either 1, 2 or 3 of the four optical examination continues until such time that the test ad
sensors 50 on the front panel 36 are covered. Thus, as ministrator has determined that the allotted time for the
mentioned above, the station’s evaluator circuitry auto test has elapsed. At that point, the administrator presses
matically recognizes this situation to mean that a ques the stop button 80 on the rear panel 40. This action
tion and answer examination is being run since at least 55 terminates the examination by preventing the examinee
one of the four optical sensors 50 is covered by the from selecting and/ or changing any more answers. All
overlay 26. The exact number and combination of sen of the lit LEDs on the front panel are at this point extin
sors covered by the overlay identi?es the particular guished. In addition, the pressing of the stop button 80
question and answer overlay exam being utilized. enables the automatic scoring circuitry in the evaluator
When the AC line cord jack 94 shown in FIG. 2 is 60 means to operate. To that end, depending upon which
connected by means of a conventional AC line cord to overlay, and thus which test was given, the examinee’s
a standard 110 VAC electrical outlet, and the power answers are stored in memory means, the correct an~
switch 84 is moved to the “on” position, the power light swer pattern is automatically selected and the examin
95 becomes illuminated to indicate that the station 20 is ee’s stored answers are sequentially compared to those
in operation. 65 answers. Each question correctly answered is scored
Before commencing the examination, the key switch while each question either incorrectly answered or left
88 is rotated to the “test” position causing all of the unanswered is ignored. The test score, i.e., the number
front panel LEDs 44 as well as all of the digits of the of correct answers, is also stored in memory along with