Method and apparatus for providing customized games

• US 9,067,140 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Opaluch, Robert Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): MYHR, JUSTIN L
• Application Number:
  US11/950,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,764 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition

Abstract

An approach is provided for developing customized games. Customization information is obtained from a user (or someone preparing the game for the user) in response to a menu of options relating to a game, or is automatically collected from customization information already collected. Gaming information, including rules and design layout, is output in response to the customization information for playing the game.

Claims

1. A method performing steps, stored in a nontransitory computer readable medium, by a processor, said steps comprising:

receiving a request from a user to subscribe to a game service for generating a customized game;

prompting the user through a menu of options relating to the game to obtain customization information upon subscribing the user to the game service, wherein the customization information includes player identity, player preference, or player characteristic;

receiving input, from the user via a graphical user interface, specifying the customization information;

obtaining content for the game, wherein the content includes educational content or content for assessing a player;

monitoring a gaming performance of the user based on one or more physical actions, one or more physical movements, or a combination thereof, of the user during the game as detected by one or more sensors, one or more devices, or a combination thereof; and

outputting via an inference engine gaming information that includes rules and design layout for playing the game, wherein the content and complexity of the game are modified according to the gaming performance and pre-determined objectives relating to education, socialization, or a combination thereof.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the game is a video game, and the game is modified dynamically during play of the game.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

collecting data associated with play of the game for assessing a trait of a player of the game, the trait including a psychological profile, educational level, level of interest in a particular content, or requirements of the player.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the rules or the content in real time based, at least on part, on the gaming performance of the user to adjust the complexity of the game for the user, wherein the gaming performance is further associated with one or more gaming actions, one or more gaming interactions, one or more gaming movements, or a combination thereof, of the user during the game, and

the pre-determined objectives are further related to skills development, assessment, clinical intervention, or a combination thereof.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

determining one or more errors, content overload, or of a combination thereof, of the user based, at least in part, on the gaming performance; and

decreasing the complexity of the game for the user based on the determination.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the menu facilitates customized game configuration via logic of the inference engine, the content is either retrieved from a database of a provider or obtained from the user, and the content includes educational content or content for assessing a player.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the menu is part of a wizard application that outputs the gaming information, and the customization information includes one or more player identities, one or more player preferences, one or more player characteristics, or a combination thereof.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein data associated with play of the game is collected for assessing one or more traits of a player of the game, and the one or more traits include one or more psychological profiles, one or more educational levels, one or more levels of interest in a particular content, or a combination thereof, of the player.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the customized game is a mechanically reproduced physical game, a physical board game, or a combination thereof.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors, the one or more devices, or a combination thereof include one or more video recording devices, one or more audio recording devices, one or more sensor devices, or a combination thereof.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a request from a user to subscribe to a game service for generating a customized game, and to prompt the user through a menu of options relating to the game to obtain customization information upon subscribing the user to the game service, wherein the customization information includes player identity, player preference, or player characteristic, the user interface being further configured to receive input from the user specifying the customization information;

an asset manager module configured to obtain content for the game, wherein the content includes educational content or content for assessing a player; and

an inference engine configured to monitor gaming performance of the user based on one or more physical actions, one or more physical movements, or a combination thereof, of the user during the game as detected by one or more sensors, one or more devices, or a combination thereof, and configured to output gaming information that includes rules and design layout for playing the game, wherein the content and complexity of the game are modified according to the gaming performance and pre-determined objectives relating to education, socialization, or a combination thereof.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the game is a video game, and the game is modified dynamically during play of the game.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a memory configured to store data associated with play of the game for assessing a trait of a player of the game, the trait including a psychological profile, educational level, level of interest in a particular content, or requirements of the player.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an inference engine is further configured to modify the rules or the content in real time based, at least on part, on gaming performance of the user to adjust the complexity of the game for the user, wherein the gaming performance is associated with one or more actions, one or more interactions, one or more movements, or a combination thereof, of the user during the game.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a processor configured to determine one or more errors, content overload, or of a combination thereof, of the user based, at least in part, on the gaming performance, and to decrease the complexity of the game for the user based on the determination.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the menu facilitates customized game configuration via logic of the inference engine, the content is either retrieved from a database of a provider or obtained from the user, and the content includes educational content or content for assessing a player.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the menu is part of a wizard application that outputs the gaming information, and the customization information includes one or more player identities, one or more player preferences, one or more player characteristics, or a combination thereof.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein data associated with play of the game is collected for assessing one or more traits of a player of the game, and the one or more traits include one or more psychological profiles, one or more educational levels, one or more levels of interest in a particular content, or a combination thereof, of the player.

19. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the customized game is a mechanically reproduced physical game.

20. A system comprising:

a plurality of client devices; and

at least one server configured to;

receive via a graphical user interface a request from a user of at least one of the user device to subscribe to a game service for generating a customized game,

prompt the user through the graphical user interface a menu of options relating to the game to obtain customization information upon subscribing the user to the game service, wherein the customization information includes player identity, player preference, or player characteristic, the user interface being further configured to receive input from the user specifying the customization information,

obtain content for the game, wherein the content includes educational content or content for assessing a player,

monitor gaming performance of the user based on one or more physical actions, one or more physical movements, or a combination thereof, of the user during the game as detected by one or more sensors, one or more devices, or a combination thereof, and

output gaming information that includes rules and design layout for playing the game, wherein the content and complexity of the game are modified according to the gaming performance and pre-determined objectives relating to education, socialization, or a combination thereof.