What does the patent cover?
The patent was issued under the title “Internet-Based Education Support System And Methods” and relates to course management systems which provide an easy-to-use and scalable system with multiple user roles in an online learning environment.

How did this invention and patent come about?
After the release of our first products, a team of inventors at Blackboard identified improvements that could be made to the course management system (CMS) technology available at the time to enable the CMS to function as a true enterprise application for educational institutions. We focused our resources on developing solutions with the student-centric functionality which would allow the Blackboard CMS to serve the increasingly complex needs of our clients. Though we were still in our early stages as a small player in the software industry, we recognized the importance in protecting our innovations in our products.  As a result, we filed for patent protection on these developments in various countries around the world.

What other countries are covered by the patent?
Patents corresponding to the U.S. patent have been issued or are pending all over the world including in the European Union, China, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand India, Israel, Mexico, South Korea, Hong Kong and Brazil.

What is the time period that the patent covers?
The initial provisional application related to our U.S. patent was filed in 1999. The patent issued in 2006 and will expire in 2022.

I am a Blackboard client licensing the Blackboard Learning System™ or other Blackboard and WebCT products.  Do I need to do anything?
No, all of our clients have a license to the patented technology for all products that they license from us. 

My institution doesn’t use a Blackboard system but uses a competitor’s course management system. How are we affected?
Evaluating patents can be complex and because we don’t know the specifics of how your system works, we would encourage you to consult with your CMS provider for answers. 

Why has Blackboard developed a patent portfolio?  
We have invested heavily in the research and development of our products (well over $100m).  Few other companies have committed such resources to learning technologies designed specifically for educators. Patents help ensure that companies that do not make comparable investments cannot simply rely on copying other companies' inventions to develop their products.  While we believe that there is a large body of freely available ideas and technology within the industry, we seek to protect our most important technological advances with patents.  Globally, we have over 30 patents and patents pending.

Where can I read more about the patent?
The full text of the patent is available at www.uspto.gov by searching for patent no. 6,988,138 or by clicking here.