INTEGRATING TOPIC OF STUDY CONTENT INTO VIDEO GAMES

• US 20170072319A1
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: BOSTICK, JAMES E., GANCI, JOHN M. Jr., KEEN, MARTIN G., RAKSHIT, SARBAJIT K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,764,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8064 Quiz
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• 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: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

Integrating topic of study content into video games is provided. A request is received from a client gaming device for content of a set of one or more topics of study of a plurality of different topics of study to incorporate into a video game of a plurality of different video games based on a user profile. The content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and a set of integration points corresponding to the video game is retrieved from a storage device. The content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and the set of integration points corresponding to the video game is sent to the client gaming device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for integrating topic of study content into video games, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a request from a client gaming device for content of a set of one or more topics of study of a plurality of different topics of study to incorporate into a video game of a plurality of different video games based on a user profile;

retrieving, by the computer, the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and a set of integration points corresponding to the video game from a storage device; and

sending, by the computer, the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and the set of integration points corresponding to the video game to the client gaming device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, checkpoint scores corresponding to the content of the set of one or more topics of study incorporated into the video game from the client gaming device; and

comparing, by the computer, the received checkpoint scores corresponding to the content of the set of one or more topics of study incorporated into the video game with stored checkpoint passing scores.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, different sets of integration points for incorporating topics of study content into the plurality of different video games from game developers via a user interface.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, content of the plurality of different topics of study from educators via a user interface.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the client gaming device is one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a smart phone, a smart watch, a personal digital assistant, or a gaming device with a network connection, and wherein a user of the client gaming device utilizes the client gaming device to play video games and complete topics of study assigned by educators to the user while the user plays the video games.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computer is a cloud-based central learning game server with a network connection, and wherein the cloud-based central learning game server controls integration of the topic of study content into a plurality of different types of video games currently being played by a plurality of different client gaming device users consistent with regular gameplay of the plurality of different types of video games.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the video game includes a topic of study application programming interface plug-in and the set of integration points corresponding to the video game, and wherein the set of integration points is a set of game-developer-defined in-game asset integration points for integrating the topic of study content into the video game.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game include instructions for incorporating the content into the set of integration points corresponding to the video game, checkpoint questions corresponding to the content, and passing scores corresponding to the checkpoint questions.

9. A computer system for integrating topic of study content into video games, the computer system comprising:

a bus system;

a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device stores program instructions; and

a processor connected to the bus system, wherein the processor executes the program instructions to;

receive a request from a client gaming device for content of a set of one or more topics of study of a plurality of different topics of study to incorporate into a video game of a plurality of different video games based on a user profile;

retrieve the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and a set of integration points corresponding to the video game from the storage device; and

send the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and the set of integration points corresponding to the video game to the client gaming device.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

receive checkpoint scores corresponding to the content of the set of one or more topics of study incorporated into the video game from the client gaming device; and

compare the received checkpoint scores corresponding to the content of the set of one or more topics of study incorporated into the video game with stored checkpoint passing scores.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

receive different sets of integration points for incorporating topics of study content into the plurality of different video games from game developers via a user interface.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

receive content of the plurality of different topics of study from educators via a user interface.

13. A computer program product for integrating topic of study content into video games, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by the computer, a request from a client gaming device for content of a set of one or more topics of study of a plurality of different topics of study to incorporate into a video game of a plurality of different video games based on a user profile;

retrieving, by the computer, the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and a set of integration points corresponding to the video game from a storage device; and

sending, by the computer, the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game based on the user profile and the set of integration points corresponding to the video game to the client gaming device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, checkpoint scores corresponding to the content of the set of one or more topics of study incorporated into the video game from the client gaming device; and

comparing, by the computer, the received checkpoint scores corresponding to the content of the set of one or more topics of study incorporated into the video game with stored checkpoint passing scores.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, different sets of integration points for incorporating topics of study content into the plurality of different video games from game developers via a user interface.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, content of the plurality of different topics of study from educators via a user interface.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the client gaming device is one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a smart phone, a smart watch, a personal digital assistant, or a gaming device with a network connection, and wherein a user of the client gaming device utilizes the client gaming device to play video games and complete topics of study assigned by educators to the user while the user plays the video games.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer is a cloud-based central learning game server with a network connection, and wherein the cloud-based central learning game server controls integration of the topic of study content into a plurality of different types of video games currently being played by a plurality of different client gaming device users consistent with regular gameplay of the plurality of different types of video games.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the video game includes a topic of study application programming interface plug-in and the set of integration points corresponding to the video game, and wherein the set of integration points is a set of game-developer-defined in-game asset integration points for integrating the topic of study content into the video game.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the content of the set of one or more topics of study to be incorporated into the video game include instructions for incorporating the content into the set of integration points corresponding to the video game, checkpoint questions corresponding to the content, and passing scores corresponding to the checkpoint questions.