Locating Content in Dual Screen Video Game

• US 20090061970A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Big Fish Games Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Big Fish Games Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Seavers, Shawn C., Wylie, Patrick M.
• Application Number:
  US11/849,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface

Abstract

A video game is played with a playing device that includes multiple screens. A background graphic design and partially hidden objects are embedded in the background graphic scene on both the screen displays. One screen displays a zoomed cropped view of the other screen. A textual list of items corresponding to the partially hidden objects is displayed on one screen. The game player provides an input to change one of the displays to another zoomed cropped view of the other screen. The game player selects the partially hidden objects in the screen with cropped view and an indication is provided when each of the partially hidden objects are selected.

Claims

1. A method computer-implemented method for playing a video game with a video playing device that includes a first screen and a second screen, the method comprising:

displaying a background graphic design and partially hidden objects embedded in the background graphic scene on both the first screen and the second screen, the second screen displaying a zoomed cropped view of the first screen;

displaying, on the first screen, a textual list of items corresponding to the partially hidden objects;

in response to a game player input, changing the second screen display to another zoomed cropped view of the first screen;

selecting the partially hidden objects in the second screen; and

providing an indication when each of the partially hidden objects are selected.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

touching the second screen by a game player; and

selectively displaying on and removing from the first screen items on the textual list in response to the game player touching the second screen.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising displaying a button on the second screen that when touched by the game player, displays and removes the textual list on first screen and correspondingly collapses and expands a size of the scene displayed on the first screen.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

providing an indication on the first screen of at least boundaries of the zoomed cropped view; and

moving the boundaries when the second screen display is changed.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the second screen includes a touch screen, wherein the input device includes the touch screen and a stylus, and wherein the method further comprises changing a view of a scene on the second screen in response to the game player contacting the touch screen with a stylus and dragging the stylus across the touch screen.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising selecting the partially hidden objects in the second screen by a game player blowing on the video playing device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising selecting the partially hidden objects in the second screen by a game player scraping one or more partially hidden objects on the second screen with a stylus.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 and 7 wherein in response to the device being blown or the second screen being scraped, changing animation of one of the partially hidden objects on the second screen.

9. The method as recited in claim 6 and 7 wherein in response to the playing device being blown upon or the screen being scraped, revealing another object behind the selected partially hidden object.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising providing an indication when one of the partially hidden objects is selected using the list in the first screen and the partially hidden object in the second screen.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising providing an indication when one of the partially hidden objects is selected by removing the item corresponding to the selected partially hidden object from textual list on the first screen and animating the partially hidden object on the second screen.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising providing a special object on the second screen that is selectable by the game player, selecting the special object and the partially hidden object on the second screen, and indicating when the partially hidden object and the special object is selected by the freezing the second screen and animating the partially hidden object on the second screen.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein upon the partially hidden object being animated, indicating another object behind the animated partially hidden object.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

providing a special object on the second screen that is selectable by the game player, selecting the special object and the partially hidden object on the second screen;

indicating when the partially hidden object and the special object are selected by changing a portion of the second screen'"'"'s color, luminosity, or brightness; and

highlighting objects in a changed portion of the second screen to reveal clues to the video game.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the highlighted objects are not visible before the portion of the second screen is changed.

16. A computer readable medium having instruction which when executed by one or more processor implement a video game with a video playing device that includes a first screen and a second screen, said instructions when executed by one or more processors comprise:

displaying a background graphic design and a partially obfuscated objects embedded in the background graphic design on both the first screen and the second screen, the second screen displaying a zoomed-in view of a portion of the first screen;

providing an indication on the first screen of at least boundaries of the zoomed-in view;

selectively displaying, on the first screen, a textual list corresponding to the obfuscated objects;

in response to a game player input, changing the second screen display to another zoomed-in partial view of the first screen and moving the boundaries on the first screen corresponding to the another zoomed-in partial view when the second screen display is changed;

selecting the obfuscated objects in the second screen corresponding to items on the textual list;

providing an indication on the second screen when the obfuscated object is selected; and

selectively displaying on and removing from the first screen items on the textual list in response to the game player selecting the obfuscated objects in the second screen corresponding to items on the textual list shown on the first screen.

17. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said instructions when executed by one or more processors further comprise:

providing a special object on the second screen that is selectable by a game player;

receive an indication of selecting the special object and the partially hidden object on the second screen; and

indicating when the partially hidden object and the special object is selected by the freezing the second screen and animating the partially hidden object on the second screen.

18. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said instructions when executed by one or more processors further comprise:

providing a special object on the second screen that is selectable by the game player, selecting the special object and the obfuscated object on the second screen;

indicating when the obfuscated object and the special object are selected by changing a portion of the second screen'"'"'s color, luminosity, or brightness; and

highlighting objects in a changed portion of the second screen to reveal clues to the video game.

19. A video game device comprising:

a first video screen and a second video screen;

an input device;

a processor;

a memory comprising instruction which when executed by the processor comprise;

display a background graphic design and partially obfuscated objects embedded in the background graphic design on both the first screen and the second screen;

display on the second screen a zoomed-in view of the first screen;

display on the first screen, a textual list of items corresponding to the partially obfuscated objects;

receive a signal from the input device that indicates to change the second screen display to another zoomed-in view of the first screen;

receive a signal from the input device to select the partially obfuscated objects in the second screen; and

providing an indication on the first or second screen when each of the partially obfuscated objects are selected.

20. The video game player as recited in claim 19, wherein the second screen includes a touch screen;

wherein the input device comprises a stylus and the touch screen; and

wherein the memory comprises instructions which when executed by the processor selectively display on the first screen and removing from the first screen items on the textual list in response to the game player touching the second screen with the stylus.