DEVICE AND CONTROL METHODS THEREFOR

• US 20170115831A1
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bosze, Manuel Kurt, Muzykov, Kirill
• Granted Patent: US 10,627,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method of controlling a user interface of a device responsive to user input by a user comprising: displaying on the user interface of the device a plurality of objects displayed in an arrangement, each object having one or more characteristics; providing an array of selection detection areas, and associating each of the selection detection areas with a respective object on the user interface so as to enable detection of selection of one or more of the objects by the user; following a selection of one of the plurality of objects by the user, predicting a subsequent object to be selected by the user in dependence on one or more selection criteria; and enlarging a selection detection area associated with the subsequent object.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a user interface of a device responsive to user input by a user comprising:

displaying on the user interface of the device a plurality of objects displayed in an arrangement, each object having one or more characteristics;

providing an array of selection detection areas, and associating each of the selection detection areas with a respective object on the user interface so as to enable detection of selection of one or more of the objects by the user;

following a selection of one of the plurality of objects by the user, predicting a subsequent object to be selected by the user in dependence on one or more selection criteria; and

enlarging a selection detection area associated with the subsequent object.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein predicting the subsequent object comprises determining a direction of user input on the user interface.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the determining a direction of user input comprises determining an average direction of the user input.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the determining a direction of user input comprises sampling a plurality of points of contact of the user input on the user interface.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein if there is more than one candidate object to be the subsequent object, then the method comprises selecting an object whose selection comprises the least deviation from the determined direction of user input to be the subsequent object.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method comprises only enlarging one selection detection area of the array of selection detection areas at any one time.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method comprises only enlarging a selection detection area if it is associated with an object which shares at least one characteristic with the one of the plurality of objects, in accordance with the selection criteria.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the array of selection detection areas is invisible to the user.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user input comprises sliding of a user'"'"'s finger or stylus over the arrangement on the user interface.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects comprise a plurality of game objects on a game board.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selection criteria comprises game rules associated with a game.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions, which when run by at least one processor are configured to control a user interface of a device responsive to user input by a user by:

displaying on the user interface of the device a plurality of objects displayed in an arrangement, each object having one or more characteristics;

providing an array of selection detection areas, and associating each of the selection detection areas with a respective object on the user interface so as to enable detection of selection of one or more of the objects by the user;

following a selection of one of the plurality of objects by the user, predicting a subsequent object to be selected by the user in dependence on one or more selection criteria; and

enlarging a selection detection area associated with the subsequent object.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one memory and at least one processor, the at least one memory and the at least one processor configured to cause the apparatus to;

display on a user interface of the apparatus a plurality of objects displayed in an arrangement, each object having one or more characteristics;

provide an array of selection detection areas, and associate each of the selection detection areas with a respective object on the user interface so as to enable detection of selection of one or more of the objects by the user;

following a selection of one of the plurality of objects by the user, predict a subsequent object to be selected by the user in dependence on one or more selection criteria; and

enlarge a selection detection area associated with the subsequent object.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, configured to determine a direction of user input on the user interface when predicting the subsequent object.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, configured to determine an average direction of the user input when determining a direction of user input.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, configured to sample a plurality of points of contact of the user input on the user interface when determining a direction of user input.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein if there is more than one candidate object to be the subsequent object, then the apparatus is configured to select an object whose selection comprises the least deviation from the determined direction of user input to be the subsequent object.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the apparatus is configured to only enlarge one selection detection area of the array of selection detection areas at any one time.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the apparatus is configured to only enlarge a selection detection area if it is associated with an object which shares at least one characteristic with the one of the plurality of objects, in accordance with the selection criteria.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the array of selection detection areas is invisible to the user.

21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the user input comprises sliding of a user'"'"'s finger or stylus over the arrangement on the user interface.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the plurality of objects comprise a plurality of game objects on a game board.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the selection criteria comprises game rules associated with a game.