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

• US 10,409,457 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Baack, David, Bai, Sora, Lai, Peter Pao, Lee, Katherine, Sternfeld, Daniel Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US14/876,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

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.

Claims

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;

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.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, 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.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, 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.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein inserting a replacement tile in an open tile position resulting from shifting the at least one proximate tile comprises:

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.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, 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.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein selecting each replacement icon comprises one of:

selecting at least one hazard replacement icon to decrease the current rate of progress towards triggering the event; and

selecting an accelerator replacement icon to increase the current rate of progress towards triggering the event.