EDUCATIONAL INTERACTIVE GAMES

• US 20090317775A1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CASHFLOW Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CASHFLOW Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Gipp, David A., Herman, Douglas W., Rogan, Philip A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,118,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/107
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0016 Spinners
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00063 Board games concerning economics or finance, e.g. trading
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/18 Book-keeping or economics

Abstract

An educational interactive game of the invention includes a system for teaching financial skills to players, and in particular, children in the context of an interactive electronic game. Each player is initially provided a predetermined amount of periodic earned income, periodic expenses and a predetermined amount of cash on hand. These items are represented by corresponding indicia on an electronic display. An object of the game is for a player to generate passive income greater than the player'"'"'s expenses by encountering game events that provide a player the opportunity to make financial choices to affect the desired outcome.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) a user interface comprising;

(i) an input device; and

(ii) a screen; and

(c) a memory in communication with the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

(i) display, on the screen, a respective set of symbols for each of a plurality of denominations of money, wherein each symbol has an unselected appearance and a selected appearance, and wherein each set includes a respective quantity of symbols;

(ii) receive indicia of selection of a symbol, the selection of the symbol provided by user through the input device;

(iii) update the appearance of a symbol on the screen in response to the received indicia of selection; and

(iv) revise the respective quantity of symbols in each set so that no first particular set of a relatively lower denomination has zero unselected symbols when a second particular set of a relatively higher denomination has more than zero unselected symbols.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:

(d) display a plurality of numeric values on the screen, the plurality of numeric values comprising;

(i) a first total for all symbols selected; and

(ii) a difference between a goal amount and the first total; and

(e) update the display of the plurality of numeric values in accordance with the received indicia of selection.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to present, on the screen, additional unselected symbols corresponding to the difference in the case that the difference is greater than zero.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of numeric values further comprises a second total for all symbols presented.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of numeric values further comprises a second total for all unselected symbols.