Systems and methods for replenishment of virtual objects based on device orientation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10409457-B2
Application number	US-201514876208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2015
Priority date	Oct 6, 2014
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for updating user interfaces. The System Tuner receives a selection of at least one target tile for removal from display of a plurality tile according to a first physical orientation. The System Tuner detects a change to a second physical orientation. While in the second physical orientation, the System Tuner identifies a proximate tile(s) placed above a tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation. The System Tuner shifts the proximate tile(s) downward towards the tile position of the at least one removed target tile. The System Tuner inserts a replacement tile in an open tile position resulting from shifting the at least one proximate tile.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system, comprising:
a processor;
a memory device holding an instruction set executable on the processor to cause the computer systems to perform operations comprising:
while a user device on which a plurality of tiles is displayed is in a first physical orientation, receiving a selection of at least one target tile for removal from display, the first physical orientation being one of a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation;
detecting a change of the user device to a second physical orientation, the second physical orientation being a different one of the landscape orientation and the portrait orientation than the first physical orientation; and
while in the second physical orientation:
identifying at least one proximate tile placed above a tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation;
shifting the at least one proximate tile downward towards the tile position of the at least one removed target tile;
determining a respective replacement tile for each removed target tile based at least in part on: the second physical orientation, a current rate of progress of a player, and a reference rate of progress; and
based on the determining of the respective replacement tiles, inserting a replacement tile in an open tile position resulting from shifting the at least one proximate tile.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein identifying the at least one proximate tile is placed above a tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation comprises:
identifying the at least one proximate tile shares a horizontal positional coordinate with the tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation.

3. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein shifting the at least one proximate tile downward towards the tile position of the at least one removed target tile comprises:
displaying a respective proximate tile in the tile position of the at least one removed target tile.

4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the determining of a respective replacement tile for each removed target tile is based at least in part on a player skill level of the player.

5. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein the current rate of progress and the reference rate of progress are rates of progress towards triggering an event, and wherein determining a respective replacement tile for each removed target tile further comprises:
identifying remaining valid sequences of tiles in the second physical orientation;
comparing the current rate of progress with the reference rate of progress; and
selecting each replacement icon based at least in part on the comparison between the current rate of progress and the reference rate of progress, and based at least in part on the remaining valid sequences of tiles in the second physical orientation.

6. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein selecting each replacement icon comprises:
selecting at least one hazard replacement icon to decrease the current rate of progress towards triggering the event.

7. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein selecting each replacement icon comprises:
selecting an accelerator replacement icon to increase the current rate of progress towards triggering the event.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
while a user device on which a plurality of tiles is displayed is in a first physical orientation, receiving a selection of at least one target tile for removal from display, the first physical orientation being one of a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation;
detecting a change of the user device to a second physical orientation, the second physical orientation being a different one of the landscape orientation and the portrait orientation than the first physical orientation; and
while in the second physical orientation:
identifying at least one proximate tile placed above a tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation;
shifting the at least one proximate tile downward towards the tile position of the at least one removed target tile;
determining a respective replacement tile for each removed target tile based at least in part on: the second physical orientation, a current rate of progress of a player, and a reference rate of progress; and
based on the determining of the respective replacement tiles, inserting a replacement tile in an open tile position resulting from shifting the at least one proximate tile.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein identifying the at least one proximate tile is placed above a tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation comprises:
identifying the at least one proximate tile shares a horizontal positional coordinate with the tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein shifting the at least one proximate tile downward towards the tile position of the at least one removed target tile comprises:
displaying a respective proximate tile in the tile position of the at leak one removed target tile.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the determining of a respective replacement tile for each removed target tile is based at least in part on a player skill level of the player.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the current rate of progress and the reference rate of progress are rates of progress towards triggering an event, and wherein determining a respective replacement tile for each removed target tile further comprises:
identifying remaining valid sequences of tiles in the second physical orientation;
comparing the current rate of progress with the reference rate of progress; and
selecting each replacement icon based at least in part on the comparison between the current rate of progress and the reference rate of progress, and based at least in part on the remaining valid sequences of tiles in the second physical orientation.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein selecting each replacement icon comprises:
selecting at least one hazard replacement icon to decrease the current rate of progress towards triggering the event.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein selecting each replacement icon comprises:
selecting an accelerator replacement icon to increase the current rate of progress towards triggering the event.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
while a user device on which a plurality of tiles is displayed is in a first physical orientation, receiving a selection of at least one target tile for removal from display, the first physical orientation being one of a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation;
detecting a change of the user device to a second physical orientation, the second physical orientation being a different one of the landscape orientation and the portrait orientation than the first physical orientation; and
while in the second physical orientation:
identifying at least one proximate tile placed above a tile position of the at least one removed target tile due to the change to the second physical orientation;
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Assignees

• Zynga Inc

Inventors

• Baack David
• Bai Sora
• Lai Peter Pao
• Lee Katherine
• Sternfeld Daniel Ian

Classifications

• A63F13/67

  adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use · CPC title

• A63F13/537

  using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen · CPC title

• A63F13/798

  for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame · CPC title

• A63F13/35 Primary

  Details of game servers · CPC title

• G06F3/017

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title