Device, game and control methods therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446313-B2
Application number	US-201414206352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2014
Priority date	Mar 12, 2014
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

In an embodiment there is provided a device having a user interface configured to display a game board having a plurality of game objects, each game object having one or more characteristics, said user interface being configured to receive user input, and at least one processor in connection or communication with at least one memory configured to detect a selection of at least one game object with respect to said displayed game board in response to player input, re-order said selected game objects on said displayed game board with respect to said input, create a further game object sharing at least one of the one or more characteristics of said re-ordered game objects in accordance with at least one rule stored in said at least one memory, and replace said re-ordered game objects with said further game object for display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method of controlling a display responsive to user engagement via a user interface, with a game board displayed on said display, the method comprising the following implemented by at least one processor of a computer device in communication with said interface, said display and at least one memory:
displaying a game board on said display, said game board having game objects of a first size, each game object having one or more characteristics;
detecting a first move comprising a selection of at least one game object with respect to said displayed game board in response to user input via said user interface;
re-ordering said selected game objects on said displayed game board in dependence on said user input;
in response to said re-ordering, determining by said at least one processor if a plurality of game objects satisfy at least one rule stored in said memory;
if so, creating a further game object of a second size, wherein said second size is greater than that of said first size, and wherein said further game object shares at least one of one or more characteristics of said plurality of game objects;
replacing said plurality of game objects with said further game object for display;
wherein in at least one subsequent move, at least one other game object is removed,
determining if said further game object can be moved to a space cleared by removal of said at least one other game object or if said space is smaller than said second size; and
in response to said determining, causing said at least one further game object to be moved to occupy said space at least partially, or causing at least one other game object to move around said further game object to occupy said space.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one rule comprises said processor determining that the plurality of game objects occupy a predefined pattern or shape configuration on said game board, and the plurality of game objects of said pattern or shape configuration each have at least one same characteristic of the one or more characteristics.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein user selection of a group of neighbouring game objects, each having at least one same characteristic of the one or more characteristics and not arranged according to the pattern or shape configuration of said at least one rule eliminates said group of neighbouring game objects.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the game board displays a visual indicator of progress towards a target, the visual indicator also indicating a bonus multiplier depending on the number of successive selections of groups of neighbouring game objects the user has input.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the visual indicator indicates that the bonus multiplier is decreased when a user inputs a movement selection input.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one rule comprises said processor determining that the plurality of game objects in response to said input occupy a predefined pattern or shape configuration on said game board, and wherein said predefined pattern or shape configuration on said game board comprises an m by n array of said game board.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein said further game object is repositioned with respect to a current position on the game board in dependence on the processor determining the elimination of game objects such that said space is m positions wide and immediately below the current position of the further game object.

8. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the m by n array of said game board comprises a 2×2 array.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said further game object is eliminated from the game board by subsequent user selection.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein selection of said further game object eliminates said further game object and all game objects having at least one same characteristic of the one or more characteristics on said game board.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said further game object is repositioned with respect to a current position on the game board to occupy one or more tiles or positions on said game board adjacent to and immediately below the further game object current position in dependence on the processor determining the elimination of game objects occupying said one or more tiles or positions adjacent to and immediately below the current position of the further game object.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more game object characteristics comprise one or more of: attributes defining a displayed colour, and object type.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the object type is a graphical representation of a jello or jelly.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the one or more characteristics shared by said further game object comprises attributes defining a displayed colour.

15. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the one or more characteristics shared by said further game object comprises object type.

16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the further game object is a larger graphical representation of said game object of said first size.

17. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the object type is a graphical reprepresentation of a jello or jelly.

18. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said display and said user interface are provided by a touch screen.

19. A device having:
a display configured to display a game board having game objects of a first size, at least one memory configured to store, for each game object, one or more characteristics, a user interface configured to receive user input, and at least one processor communicating with said at least one memory configured to:
detect a first move comprising a selection of at least one game object of a first size with respect to said game board in response to user input via said user interface;
re-order said selected game objects on said displayed game board in dependence on said user input;
in response to said re-ordering, determine by said at least one processor if a plurality of game objects satisfy at least one rule stored in said memory;
if so, create a further game object of a second size, wherein said second size is greater than that of said first size, and said further game object shares at least one of one or more characteristics of said plurality of game objects;
replace said plurality of game objects with said further game object for display;
wherein in at least one subsequent move at least one other game object is removed;
determine if said further game object can be moved to a space cleared by removal of said at least one other game object or if said space is smaller than said second size; and
in response to said determining, cause said at least one further game object to be moved to occupy said space at least partially, or cause at least one other game object to move around said further game object to occupy said space.

20. A device according to claim 19 , wherein said at least one rule stored in said at least one memory comprises said processor determining that the plurality of game objects occupy on said displayed game board a predefined pattern or shape configuration stored in said at least one memory.

21. A device according to claim 19 , wherein said at least one rule further comprises said processor determining that the plurality of game objects occupying a predefined pattern or sh

Assignees

• King Com Ltd
• King Com Ltd

Inventors

• Norden Klas

Classifications

• A63F13/75

  Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players · CPC title

• A63F2003/00996

  Board games available as video games · CPC title

• A63F13/56 Primary

  Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding · CPC title

• A63F2003/0075

  covering two or more playing fields · CPC title