COMPUTING DEVICE, GAME, AND METHODS THEREFOR

• US 20140364210A1
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: KNUTSSON, Sebastian, MURRAY, Christian, SVENSSON, Ragnar
• Granted Patent: US 9,937,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A computer device is described, comprising a computer storage holding a plurality of identifiers, each associated with an address; an interface connected to receive from a first computer device, game data including a completed first board of a game; and a processor configured to receive the game data to access an address associated with a player identifier and to formulate a message for transmission to a second computer device identified by the address, the message including some or all of the game data, whereby a player at the second computer device receives the message prior to accepting an invitation to play the game. Methods for providing feedback and tile selection are also disclosed in the context of a word matching game.

Claims

1. A computer device comprising:

a computer storage holding a plurality of identifiers, each associated with an address;

an interface connected to receive from a first computer device, game data including a completed first board of a game; and

a processor configured to receive the game data to access an address associated with a player identifier and to formulate a message for transmission to a second computer device identified by the address, the message including some or all of the game data, whereby a player at the second computer device receives the message prior to accepting an invitation to play the game.

2. A computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface connected to receive a player identifier identifies the player at the second computer device.

3. A computer device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to match a player at the first computer device with one of the player identifiers.

4. A computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message for transmission to a second computer device comprises a component for display at the second computer device, the component identifying a player at the first computer device.

5. A computer device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the component for display is a text component.

6. A computer device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the component for display includes a score derived from the game data.

7. A computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the message to multiple second computer devices.

9. A computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the game data relates to a second game wherein each board comprises a set of letter tiles of which the player has selected adjoining tiles to form each of a plurality of words.

10. A computer device as claimed in claim 9, wherein letter tiles which are not used are subsequently scrambled.

8. A computer device as claimed in 7, wherein the processor is configured to receive multiple game boards from the first computer device and to transmit a respective message to each of multiple second computer devices.

11. A computer implemented method comprising at least one processor configured to:

receive from a first computer device, game data including a completed first board of a game;

access an address associated with a stored player identifier, and

formulate a message for transmission to a second computer device identified by the address, the message including some or all of the game data, whereby a player at the second computer device receives the message prior to accepting an invitation to play the game.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the player identifier identifies the player at the second computer device.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to match a player at the first computer device with one of the player identifiers.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the message formulated for transmission to a second computer device comprises a component for display at the second computer device, the component identifying a player at the first computer device.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the component for display is a text component.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the component for display includes a score derived from the game data.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the message to multiple second computer devices.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to receive multiple game boards from the first computer device and to transmit a respective message to each of multiple second computer devices.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the game data relates to a second game wherein each board comprises a set of letter tiles of which the player has selected adjoining tiles to form each of a plurality of words.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein letter tiles which are not used are subsequently scrambled.

21. A computer implemented method of generating display data for a computer device, the method comprising:

generating a set of letter tiles for transmission to a computer device, wherein the tiles are organised in a tray displayed to a user, and wherein a user can select letter tiles to form words;

receiving feedback information after a game has been played by a user, the game constituting selecting the tiles to form words;

combining the feedback information with feedback information from earlier games played by the same user or by different users, and using the combined feedback information to select a next set of letter tiles to be transmitted to the computer device to be displayed in the tray for subsequent games.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the generation of a set of tiles comprises:

generating a random key; and

using the random key to generate a new tray comprising the set of tiles.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein words that can be selected within the set of tiles are searched for against a list of words provided in a dictionary database using a brute force technique.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the selected matched words for that tile set are logged and scored.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein a further random key is generated and used to generate a new tray comprising a set of tiles.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein the highest scoring tile sets are stored for future retrieval and play.

27. A computer readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes said at least one processor to perform the following steps:

receive from a first computer device, game data including a completed first board of a game;

access an address associated with a stored player identifier, and

to formulate a message for transmission to a second computer device identified by the address, the message including some or all of the game data, whereby a player at the second computer device receives the message prior to accepting an invitation to play the game.

28. A computer readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes said at least one processor to perform the following steps:

generating a set of letter tiles for transmission to a computer device, wherein the tiles are organised in a tray displayed to a user, and wherein a user can select letter tiles to form words;

receiving feedback information after a game has been played by a user, the game constituting selecting the tiles to form words;

combining the feedback information with feedback information from earlier games played by the same user or by different users, and using the combined feedback information to select a next set of letter tiles to be transmitted to the computer device to be displayed in the tray for subsequent games.