Comprehensive single page view of user's gaming achievements

• US 8,262,472 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ostergren, Brian, Stouffer, Trisha Eileen
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US11/859,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30, 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/70 Game security or game management aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels

Abstract

A method is disclosed for providing comprehensive information of all game achievements on a single GUI of a gaming and media system. The achievements GUI lists all game achievements, whether locked or unlocked, and may visually differentiate between locked and unlocked achievements. Upon a user selecting a listed achievement, information relating to that achievement may be displayed on the same GUI, in an achievement descriptor area beside the area listing the achievements.

Claims

1. A method of providing information relating to achievements within a game application program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) launching the game application program on a gaming and media system;

(b) caching data relating to which achievements from the game application program have been accomplished, said step (b) of data caching performed prior to any display of achievements after launching the game in said step (a);

(c) displaying on a single graphical screen of a display each achievement possible in the game application program;

(d) receiving an indication of a particular achievement displayed on the graphical user interface in said step (a); and

(e) displaying, on the single graphical screen of the display, at least one of;

i. a description of the particular achievement indicated in said step (d);

ii. the score associated with the particular achievement indicated in said step (d); and

iii. the status of the particular achievement indicated in said step (d).

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising repeating steps (d) and (e) for other achievements displayed in said step (c).

3. A method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) of displaying each achievement possible in the game application program comprises the step of displaying an icon representing each achievement possible in the game application program.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an indication of which achievements displayed in said step (c) have been accomplished.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said indication comprises displaying achievements which have not been accomplished with a degree of transparency, and displaying achievements which have been accomplished opaquely.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, said step (e) further comprising displaying a first description if the indicated achievement has been accomplished and displaying a second description, different than the first description, if the indicated achievement has not been accomplished.

7. A method as recited in claim 4, said step (c) further comprising displaying a first description if the indicated achievement has been accomplished and displaying a second description, different than the first description, if the indicated achievement has not been accomplished.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display of each achievement possible in the game application program is dynamically expandable.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading the game application program into the gaming and media system over a network connection.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of loading the game application program into the gaming and media system from a portable memory media.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a gaming mode where a user may play the game presented by the game application program, wherein the user may switch between the gaming mode and the performance of said step (a) of displaying each achievement possible in the game application program by a single interaction with the user interface selection device.