Adaptive content delivery system and method

• US 20020032708A1
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Learningsoft Corporation
• Original Assignee: Learningsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cole, David, Gupta, Sunil, Hrim, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/539
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The present invention relates to delivering adaptive content to a user via a user output device, typically a computer. In general, user information associated with a particular user is retrieved and activity selection and topic selection information are received. A set of one or more questions is retrieved based upon the selected topic and the user information. The retrieved question set is presented to the user in the context of interacting with the selected activity. Progression through the selected activity results from successfully answering the questions. In some instances, questions may be evaluated for bias with respect to particular user group(s). Further, certain embodiments may support assignment of particular topics, questions and/or activities to particular users or user groups. Facilities may also be supported for aiding users in developing and/or expanding the available questions, topics and/or activities.

Claims

1. A method of providing adaptive content to a user via a user computer, the method comprising the steps of:

a) retrieving user information associated with the user;

b) receiving activity selection information indicating a selected activity, wherein the selected activity is selected from a specified set of available activities;

c) receiving topic selection information indicating a selected topic, wherein the selected topic is selected from a specified set of available topics;

d) retrieving a set of questions and answers based upon the selected topic and the retrieved user information;

e) providing the user with an opportunity to interact with the selected activity via the user computer wherein progression through the selected activity is based upon the user successfully answering selected questions from the set of retrieved questions and answers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving user information comprises the steps of:

i) providing the user with an interface by which the user information may be entered; and

ii) in response to a trigger by the user indicating the entry of the user information through the provided interface, receiving the user information from the provided interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving user information comprises the steps of:

i) receiving identification information from the user; and

ii) requesting the user information from a data store based upon the received identification information.

4. The method of claim 3, and further comprising the step of iii) providing the user with an interface by which the identification information may be entered and wherein the step of receiving identification information comprises receiving the identification information from the provided interface in response to a trigger by the user indicating the entry of the identification information through the provided interface.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of receiving information from a request originating from the user computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information comprises the steps of:

i) providing the user with an interface by which the activity selection information may be entered; and

ii) in response to a trigger by the user indicating the entry of the activity selection information through the provided interface, receiving the activity selection information from the provided interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing the user with an interface comprises retrieving a select subset of the specified set of available activities for inclusion in the provided interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of retrieving the select subset is based upon the retrieved user information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of retrieving the select subset is also based upon the selected topic.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of retrieving the select subset is based upon the selected topic.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information is based upon the retrieved user information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information comprises the step of parsing the retrieved user information for information indicating the selected activity.

13. The method for claim 12, wherein the step of parsing the retrieved user information for the activity selection information is based upon the selected topic.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information is also based upon the selected topic.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information is based upon the selected topic.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving topic selection information comprises the steps of:

i) providing the user with an interface by which the topic selection information may be entered; and

ii) in response to a trigger by the user indicating the entry of the topic selection information through the provided interface;

receiving the topic selection information from the provided interface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of providing the user with an interface comprises retrieving a select subset of the specified set of available topics for inclusion in the provided interface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of retrieving the select subset is based upon the retrieved user information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of retrieving the select subset is also based upon the selected activity.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of retrieving the select subset comprises the step of parsing the retrieved user information for information indicating topic membership in the select subset.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of retrieving the select subset is based upon the selected activity.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving topic selection information is based upon the retrieved user information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of receiving topic selection information is also based upon the selected activity.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of receiving topic selection information based upon the retrieved user information comprises the step of parsing the retrieved user information for information indicating the selected topic.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving topic selection information is based upon the selected activity.

26. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of storing performance metrics associated with the user'"'"'s progression through the selected activity.

27. The method of claim 26, and further comprising the step of presenting the stored performance metrics associated with the user'"'"'s progression through the selected activity.

28. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of presenting performance metrics associated with the user'"'"'s progression through the selected activity.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of presenting performance metrics associated with the user'"'"'s progression through the selected activity comprises presenting the performance metrics to a second user.

30. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:

f) providing an interface to a teacher user via a computer by which the teacher user may associate user specific topics selected from the specified set of available topics with a student user;

g) in response to a trigger by the teacher user indicating the entry of user specific topics through the provided interface, receiving the user specific topics from the provided interface; and

h) storing the user specific topics in user information associated with the student user.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving a set of questions and answers is further based upon the selected activity.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified set of available activities comprises a plurality of available activities.

33. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of f) determining a user language indicator from the retrieved user information.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of retrieving a set of questions and answers is based upon the determined user language indicator.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information is based upon the determined user language indicator.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of receiving topic selection information is based upon the determined language indicator.

37. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of f) determining a user nationality indicator from the retrieved user information.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of retrieving a set of questions and answers is based upon the determined user nationality indicator.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information is based upon the determined user nationality indicator.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of receiving topic selection information is based upon the determined user nationality indicator.

41. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of f) determining characteristics of the user computer.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of receiving activity selection information is based upon the determined user computer characteristics.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of providing the user with an opportunity to interact with the selected activity comprises the steps of i) selecting for transmission appropriate data associated with the selected activity based upon the determined user computer characteristic and ii) transmitting data associated with the selected activity to the user computer via a communication channel.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the user with an opportunity to interact with the selected activity comprises the step of transmitting data associated with the selected activity to the user computer via a communication channel.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of providing the user with an opportunity to interact with the selected activity further comprises the steps of determining parameter associated with the communication channel used to communicate with the user computer and selecting for transmission appropriate data associated with the selected activity based upon the determined parameters.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the communication channel is selected from the group consisting of computer network, direct serial or parallel connection, dial-up connection, wireless connection, bus connection and combinations thereof.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the communication channel is the Internet.

48. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved user information comprises a difficulty level indicator selected from the group consisting of an age, grade, a level of prior performance on questions previously presented and combinations thereof.

49. The method of claim 1, wherein each available activity in the specified set is of a type selected from the group consisting of games and interactive stories.

50. A system for providing adaptive content to one or more users via one or more user computers, the system comprising:

a) a system data store for storing data comprising;

i) activity information associated with at least one activity;

ii) topic information associated with at least one topic; and

iii) question information associated with one or more questions, wherein each question is associated with at least one topic and comprises a question text, a language indicator and a plurality of possible answers, wherein the plurality of possible answers comprises at least one correct answer; and

b) a link to a communication channel allowing communication with the one or more user computers; and

C) a system processor in communication with the system data store and the link, wherein the system processor executes one or more processes that perform tasks comprising of;

i) determine at least one filtering constraints;

ii) specify a set of available activities and a set of available topics based at least in part upon the determined at least one filtering constraint;

iii) receive activity selection information indicating a selected activity, wherein the selected activity is selected form the specified set of available activities, wherein each available activity in the specified set is of a type selected from the group consisting of games and interactive stories;

iv) receive topic selection information indicating a selected topic, wherein the selected topic is selected from the specified set of available topics;

v) retrieve a set of questions and answers based upon a criterion selected from the group consisting of the selected topic, the selected activity, a selected filtering constraint from the determined at least one filtering constraint and combinations thereof; and

vi) receive a request to interact from a current user using a current user computer;

vii) provide the current user with an opportunity to interact with activity information associated with the selected activity through the current user computer via the communication channel, wherein progression through the activity information associated with the selected activity is based upon the current user successfully answering selected questions from the set of retrieved questions and answers.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the communication channel is selected from the group consisting of computer network, direct serial or parallel connection, dial-up connection, wireless connection, bus connection and combinations thereof.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the communication channel is the Internet.

53. The system of claim 50, wherein the link allows selective communication between the system processor and the current user computer over the communication channel.

54. The system of claim 50, wherein the system data store has an architecture selected from the group consisting of a flat file, a hash table, a database and combinations thereof.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the system data store comprises a database and wherein the database has an organization selected from the group consisting of hierarchical, object-oriented, relational, object-relational, spatial and combinations thereof.

56. The system of claim 50, wherein the system data store comprises a plurality of storage subsystems.

57. The system of claim 50, wherein the system data store comprises at least one data processor, wherein the at least one data processor is in communication with the system processor and receives and services data requests from the system processor.

58. The system of claim 50, wherein each of the determined at least one filtering constraint is of a type selected from the group consisting of nationality indicator, language indicator, communication channel parameter and user computer characteristic.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the determined at least one filter constraint comprises a language indicator and wherein the system processor determines the language indicator by (a) identifying an access processing element, selected from the at least one processing element of the system processor, to which the current user has directed the received request to interact and (b) determining the language indicator based upon the identified access processing element.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the determined at least one filter constraint comprises communication channel parameters and wherein the system processor further vii) retrieves activity information associated with the selected activity from the system data store at least in part based upon the communication channel parameters.

61. The system of claim 50, wherein the system processor comprises a plurality of processing elements, wherein each of the processing elements runs processes that perform a subset of tasks i) through vii) and wherein the union of the subsets of task performed by the processes running the processing elements in the plurality of processing elements comprises all tasks i) through vii).

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the subset of tasks performed by the processes running on each processing element is not empty.

63. The system of claim 50, wherein the system data further stores data comprising iv) user information associated with at least on user.

64. The system of claim 50, wherein the system data further stores data comprising iv) user information associated with at least one user.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the system data store comprises the user data store.

66. The system of claim 64, wherein the system processor further viii) provides an interface to a teacher user via a teacher computer by which the teacher user may associate user specific topics selected from the specified set of available topics with a student user selected from the one or more users;

ix) in response to a trigger by the teacher user indicating the entry of the user specific topics through the provided interface, receiving the user specific topics from the provided interface; and

x) storing the user specific topics in user information associated with the student user in the user data store.

67. The system of claim 64, wherein the system processor further viii) stores user information associated with the current user in the user data store.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the system processor further ix) provides an interface by which the current user may enter at least part of the user information to be stored and x) receives the information entered into the provided interface in response to a trigger event by the current user.

69. The system of claim 67, wherein the system processor determines at least one of the at least one determined filtering constraints from the stored user information.

70. The system of claim 67, wherein the stored user information comprises information associated with the current user selected from the group consisting of performance metrics associated with the current user'"'"'s progression through the selected activity, the current user'"'"'s age, the current user'"'"'s gender, a nationality indicator based upon the current user'"'"'s nationality, a language indicator based upon the current user'"'"'s nationality, a language indicator based upon the current user'"'"'s nationality, a language indicator based upon the current user'"'"'s language, the current user'"'"'s grade level, identification information associated with the current user and combinations thereof.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein the stored user information comprises performance metrics associated with the current user'"'"'s progression through the selected activity, wherein the system processor further viii) collects performance metric associated with the current user'"'"'s progression through the selected activity, and wherein the system processor aggregates the collected performance metrics with previously stored performance metrics in the user data store as part of storing user information associated with the current user.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the system processor further ix) receives student identification information associated with one or more student users selected from the user data store performance metrics associated with the one or more student users based upon the received student identification information;

and xi) presents the retrieved performance metrics to the teacher user via the teacher computer.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the system processor receives student identification information by (a) receiving teacher information associated with the teacher user and (b) retrieving from the user data store the student identification information associated with the one or more students based upon the received teacher information.

74. The system of claim 50, wherein the system processor further viii) retrieves user information associated with the current user.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the system processor retrieves user information by parsing the user information from the received request to interact.

76. The system of claim 74, wherein the system processor determines at least one of the at least one determined filtering constraints from the retrieved user information.

77. The system of claim 74, and further comprising a user data store for storing data comprising user information associated with at least one user and wherein the system processor retrieves user information by (a) receiving identification information associated with the current user and (b) requesting the user information from the data store based upon the received identification information.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein the system processor further (c) provides the current user with an interface by which the identification information may be entered and receives the identification information from the provided interface in response to a trigger by the current user indicating the entry of the identification information.

79. The system of claim 77, wherein the system processor receives the identification information by parsing the identification information from the received request to interact.

80. A system for providing adaptive content to one or more users via one or more user computers, the system comprising:

a) storage means for storing data comprising;

i) activity information associated with at least one activity;

ii) topic information associated with at least one topic; and

iii) question information associated with one or more questions, wherein each question is associated with at least one topic and comprises a question text, a language indicator and a plurality of possible answers, wherein the plurality of possible answers comprises at least one correct answer;

the storage means comprising one or more storage processing means for receiving and servicing data requests; and

b) one or more general processing means in communication with the storage means and the one or more user computers, the one or more general processing means for;

i) receiving a request to interact from a current user from the one or more users using a current user computer from the one or more computers;

ii) determining at least one filtering constraints, wherein each of the at least one determined filtering constraints is of a type selected from the group consisting of nationality indicator, language indicator, communication channel parameter and user computer characteristic;

iii) specifying a set of available activities and a set of available topics based at least in part upon the determined at least one filtering constraint;

iv) receiving activity selection information indicating a selected activity, wherein the selected activity is selected form the specified set of available activities, wherein each available activity in the specified set is of a type selected from the group consisting of games and interactive stories;

v) receiving topic selection information indicating a selected topic, wherein the selected topic is selected from the specified set of available topics;

vi) requesting from the storage means a set of questions and answers based upon a criterion selected from the group consisting of the selected topic, the selected activity, a selected filtering constraint from the determined at least one filtering constraint and combinations thereof;

vii) receiving the requested set of questions and answers from the stsorage means;

viii) requesting and receiving activity information associated with the selected activity from the storage means; and

ix) providing the current user with an opportunity to interact with the received activity information through the current user computer, wherein progression through the received activity information is based upon the current user successfully answering selected questions from the set of requested questions and answers.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the one or more general processing means comprise a subset of the one or more storage processing means.

82. The system of claim 80, wherein the one or more general processing means comprise one or more access processing means for providing at least functionality i) and ix).

83. The system of claim 82, wherein the one or more general processing means further comprise one or more logic processing means for providing at least functionality ii) through viii).

84. The system of claim 80, wherein the one or more general processing means comprise one or more logic processing means for providing at least functionality ii) through viii).

85. A computer readable storage environment storing instructions that upon execution by one or more system computers cause the one or more system computers to provide adaptive content to one or more users via one or more user computers by performing the steps of:

a) receiving a request to interact from a current user from the one or more users using a current user computer from the one or more computers;

b) determining at least one filtering constraints, wherein each of the at least one determined filtering constraints is of a type selected form the group consisting of nationality indicator, language indicator, communication channel parameter and user computer characteristic;

c) specifying a set of available activities and a set of available topics based at least in part upon the determined at least one filtering constraint;

d) receiving activity selection information indicating a selected activity, wherein the selected activity is selected from the specified set of available activities, wherein each available activity in the specified set is a type selected from the group consisting of games and interactive stories;

e) receiving topic selection information indicating a selected topic, wherein the selected topic is selected from the specified set of available topics;

f) retrieving a set of questions and answers based upon a criterion selected from the group consisting of the selected topic, the selected activity, a selected filtering constraint from the determined at least one filtering constraint and combinations thereof;

g) retrieving activity information associated with the selected activity from the storage means; and

h) providing the current user with an opportunity to interact with the retrieved activity information through the current user computer, wherein progression through the retrieved activity information is based upon the current user successfully answering selected questions from the set of requested questions and answers.

86. The storage environment of claim 85, wherein the storage environment comprises at least one storage device of a type selected from the group consisting of RAM, ROM, hard disk drive, removable magnetic diskette, optical diskette and combination thereof.