Virtual opening of boxes and packs of cards

• US 9,195,369 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hothead Games Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hothead Games Inc.
• Inventors: We, Art, Lim, Trevor, Dunn, Gregan
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xia, Xuyang
• Application Number:
  US13/760,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites

Abstract

Systems and methods for virtual opening of packages such as boxes and packs of cards are provided herein. Exemplary systems may execute methods via one or more processors, which are programmed to generate a visual representation of a package, receive input from the user, the input indicating opening of the package, and provide feedback to the user corresponding to the opening of the package that at least partially mimics a physical opening of the package.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to perform operations comprising;

selecting a set of virtual cards for a package, the set of virtual cards being randomly generated;

generating the set of virtual cards;

generating a visual representation of the package, the visual representation comprising a virtual wrapper that covers the set of virtual cards;

transmitting the visual representation of the virtual wrapper and the set of virtual cards to a client device for display to a user;

defining a plurality of touch-based inputs, each of the plurality of touch-based inputs being associated with an action for an opening of the package, one of the plurality of touch-based inputs comprising receiving two touch-based inputs relative to the package at the same time in which a subsequent expand gesture of the two touch-based inputs causes the one or more processors to execute the logic to perform operations comprising a tearing animation of the package in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the expand gesture;

receiving input from the user via the client device, the input indicating the opening of the package;

transmitting, to the client device, signals that are used by the client device to vibrate the client device in conjunction with the opening of the package, the opening of the package comprising tearing of the virtual wrapper so as to expose at least one of the set of virtual cards; and

generating for display the at least one of the set of virtual cards.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein feedback comprises an animation that represents the opening of the package.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein feedback comprises a sound associated with the opening of the package.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein feedback further comprises an animation and audio feedback.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to perform operations comprising providing a plurality of selections of packages to the user, each of the selections comprising a visual representation of a package;

and receiving a selection of at least one of the plurality of selections of packages.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of touch-based inputs comprises a tap input relative to the package, the tap input causing the one or more processors to execute the logic to perform operations comprising a tearing animation of at least a portion of the package.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of touch-based inputs comprises a swipe input relative to the package, the swipe input tracing a path across at least a portion of the package, the swipe input causing the one or more processors to execute the logic to perform operations comprising executing a tearing animation of the package along the path.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of touch-based inputs comprises receiving touch-based inputs relative a corner of the package followed by a drag gesture, which causes the one or more processors to execute the logic to perform operations comprising a peeling animation of the package in a direction that is substantially aligned to the direction of the drag gesture.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the package comprises a box of cards and opening of the box of cards exposes one or more cards within the box.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to perform further operations comprising executing a program environment that comprises a virtual store, the virtual store comprising a plurality of packages including the package.

11. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to perform operations comprising;

executing a program environment that includes a virtual store;

providing a plurality of packs of cards in the virtual store, each of the plurality of packs of cards comprising a visual representation, each of the plurality of packs of cards comprising a set of cards, the set of cards being a predetermined selection of cards;

receiving a selection of one or more of the plurality of packs of cards;

providing the selection of the one or more of the plurality of packs of cards;

defining a plurality of touch-based inputs, each of the plurality of touch-based inputs being associated with an action for an opening of the selected pack of cards, one of the plurality of touch-based inputs comprising receiving two touch-based inputs relative to the selected pack of cards at the same time in which a subsequent expand gesture of the two touch-based inputs causes the one or more processors to execute the logic to perform operations comprising a tearing animation of the selected pack of cards in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the expand gesture;

receiving input from a user, the input indicating the opening of the selected pack of cards;

transmitting, to a client device, signals that are used by the client device to vibrate the client device in conjunction with the opening of the selected pack of cards, the opening of the selected pack of cards at least partially mimicking a physical opening of the selected pack of cards to expose at least one of the set of cards; and

generating for display the at least one of the set of cards.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein feedback comprises an animation that represents the opening of the selected pack of cards.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein feedback comprises a sound associated with the opening of the selected pack of cards.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the transmitted signals causes a user input device to vibrate in conjunction with the opening of the visual representation of a pack of cards.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the transmitted signals cause a user input device to vibrate in conjunction with the opening of the visual representation of the selected pack of cards.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein, following the opening of the visual representation of the selected pack of cards, displaying a plurality of cards from within the opened selected pack of cards.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the program environment further comprises a game environment, the game environment comprising the virtual store.

18. A method, comprising:

selecting a set of virtual cards by random generation;

generating the set of virtual cards;

generating, by a processor, a visual representation of a package, the visual representation comprising a virtual wrapper that covers the set of virtual cards;

transmitting the visual representation of the virtual wrapper and the set of virtual cards to a client device for display to a user;

defining at least one touch-based input associated with a peeling open of the package, the peeling open of the package including peeling of the virtual wrapper away from the set of virtual cards to expose at least one of the set of virtual cards, the at least one touch-based input comprising a finger contact with a corner of the package followed by a pause for a period of time, and then followed by a pulling of the finger contact along a length of the package;

receiving the at least one touch-based input associated with the peeling open of the package;

providing a peeling animation to the user after the receiving operation, the peeling animation providing a visual cue corresponding to a physical peeling open of the package, the peeling animation being a separation of the package along a line in a direction of the pulling of the finger contact along the length of the package;

transmitting, to the client device, signals that are used by the client device to vibrate the client device in conjunction with the peeling open of the package to provide haptic feedback, the haptic feedback consisting of vibration of the client device corresponding to the physical peeling open of the package; and

generating for display the at least one of the set of virtual cards.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing haptic feedback and an audio cue after the receiving operation, the haptic feedback providing a tactile cue corresponding to the physical peeling open of the package, the audio cue providing an auditory cue corresponding to the physical peeling open of the package.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising executing a program environment that includes a virtual store, the virtual store comprising a plurality of packages including the package.