Sequential selection of multiple objects
View Patent ↗A device may be configured to provide a user interface that supports sequential selection of objects displayed on a screen. As configured, the device may display a presentation of multiple objects, and the device may receive a user input that defines a path within the presentation of displayed objects. The device may then determine the sequential order of a selected subset of the displayed objects. Based on this sequential order, the device may select, initiate, and perform an action that is targeted at the selected subset of the objects. In the context of an action game, the user may trace the path through various enemies, and the device may select and perform the action based on the number of enemies, the type of enemies, or the order in which the enemies were selected. Selection and initiation of the action may begin while the user input is still being received.
1. A method comprising:
receiving a user input that defines a path in a presentation of displayed icons available for selection as targets of an action, the user input defining a beginning of the path and an end of the path;
determining a sequential order of a selected subset of the displayed icons in the presentation, the selected subset being determined as the targets of the action based on the path and based on locations of the displayed icons in the presentation;
selecting an action targetable at the selected subset of the displayed icons, the selecting of the action being performed by a processor of a machine; and
performing the action targeted at the selected subset of the displayed icons according to the sequential order of the selected subset, the performing of the action being initiated during the receiving of the user input.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the receiving of the user input includes:
receiving a first partial input that indicates a first displayed icon among the displayed icons; and
receiving a second partial input that indicates a second displayed icon among the displayed icons; and
the performing of the action includes initiating the action targeted at the first displayed icon prior to the receiving of the second partial input.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the receiving of the user input includes detecting a single continuous gesture that connects each of the selected subset of the displayed icons from the beginning of the path to the end of the path.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the receiving the user input includes detecting a touch gesture that traces the path on a screen that displays the presentation of the displayed icons.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the displayed icons are in motion in the presentation; and
the receiving of the user input includes:
detecting the beginning of the path on a first displayed object among the displayed icons in motion; and
detecting the end of the path on a second displayed object among the displayed icons in motion.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the receiving of the user input includes:
receiving a first partial input that indicates a first displayed icon among the displayed icons, prior to
receiving a second partial input that indicates a second displayed icon among the displayed icons; and
the determining of the sequential order includes determining that the first displayed icon precedes the second displayed icon in the sequential order.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the determining of the sequential order of the selected subset includes determining the selected subset based on the path and based on the locations of the displayed icons in the presentation.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the determining of the selected subset of the displayed icons includes comparing a threshold distance to a calculated distance between the path and a location of a displayed icon among the displayed icons.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the determining of the selected subset of the displayed icons is based on the path intersecting a displayed icon among the displayed icons.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the receiving of the user input includes
receiving a first partial input that indicates a first displayed icon among the displayed icons, prior to
receiving a second partial input that indicates a second displayed icon among the displayed icons; and
the determining of the selected subset of the displayed objects includes:
determining that the first displayed icon is included in the selected subset in response to the receiving of the first partial input; and
determining that the second displayed icon is incompatible with the first displayed icon and excluded from the selected subset.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the selecting of the action is based on the sequential order of the selected subset of the displayed icons.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the receiving of the user input includes
receiving a first partial input that indicates a first displayed icon among the displayed icons, prior to
receiving a second partial input that indicates a second displayed icon among the displayed icons; and
the selecting of the action is based on the first displayed icon preceding the second displayed icon in the sequential order.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the selecting of the action is based on a size of the selected subset transgressing a threshold number of displayed icons.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the displayed icons in the presentation include icons that represent enemies targetable by a player character within a videogame, and
the performing of the action includes depicting attacks on the icons that represent enemies in the sequential order.
15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
receiving a user input that defines a path in a presentation of displayed icons available for selection as targets of an action, the user input defining a beginning of the path and an end of the path;
determining a sequential order of a selected subset of the displayed icons in the presentation, the selected subset being determined as the targets of the action based on the path and based on locations of the displayed icons in the presentation;
selecting an action targetable at the selected subset of the displayed icons, the selecting of the action being performed by the one or more processors of the machine; and
performing the action targeted at the selected subset of the displayed icons according to the sequential order of the selected subset, the performing of the action being initiated during the receiving of the user input.
16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the selecting of the action is based on the sequential order of the selected subset of the displayed icons.
17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the presentation displays the displayed icons in a two-dimensional arrangement; and
the received user input defines a two-dimensional path that connects each of the selected subset of the displayed icons.
18. A system comprising:
an input module configured to receive a user input that defines a path in a presentation of displayed icons available for selection as targets of an action, the user input defining a beginning of the path and an end of the path;
a processor configured by a selector module to:
determine a sequential order of a selected subset of the displayed icons in the presentation, the selected subset being determined as the targets of the action based on the path and based on locations of the displayed icons in the presentation; and
select an action targetable at the selected subset of the displayed icons; and
an action module configured to perform the action targeted at the selected subset of the displayed icons according to the sequential order of the selected subset, the performing of the action being initiated during the receiving of the user input.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein:
the presentation displays the displayed icons in a three-dimensional arrangement; and
the received user input defines a three-dimensional path that connects each of the selected subset of the displayed icons.