IP Library Granted Patent US 11,752,432
Granted Patent B2
US 11,752,432 · App. 16/747,984 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Information processing device and method of causing computer to perform game program

Inventor: Shinpei Ito (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SEGA CORPORATION
A63F13/533A63F13/2145A63F13/42G06F3/0412A63F2300/1075
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,752,432
App. No.
16/747,984
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information processing device includes: a controller that generates a game image of an object disposed in a virtual game space; and a touch panel that displays the game image. The touch panel detects an input of a user's touch operation on the game image and outputs, to the controller, a detection signal indicating the detection of the input. The controller determines a contact surface area at an indicated position on the touch panel indicated by the user's touch operation based on the detection signal. The controller determines, based on a size of the contact surface area, whether ae first operation or a second operation has been inputted. The controller performs a first control related to the object in response to the first operation, and a second control related to the object when the second operation has been inputted.

Claims (55)

1. An information processing device, comprising:

a controller that generates a game image of an object viewed from a virtual camera disposed in a virtual game space; and

a touch panel connected to the controller and that:

displays the game image;

displays a left-hand button in a left-hand area on the touch panel;

displays a right-hand button in a right-hand area on the touch panel;

detects an input of a user's touch operation on the game image; and

outputs, to the controller, a detection signal indicating the detection of the input,

wherein

the controller identifies, within each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons, a contact surface area created by a user's tap gesture at an indicated position that is indicated by the user's touch operation based on the detection signal and that is different from a position of the object on the touch panel,

the user's touch operation is a single touch gesture comprising a first operation and a second operation,

the controller determines that, based on a size of the contact surface area within each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons,

the first operation has been inputted via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons upon determining that the size of the contact surface area is less than a predetermined value, and

the second operation has been inputted via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons upon determining that the size of the contact surface area is equal to or greater than the predetermined value,

such that a user can perform either of the first and second operations via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons only by changing the size of the contact surface area,

the controller performs:

upon identifying the first operation in the contact surface area within the left-hand button, a first control,

upon identifying the second operation in the contact surface area within the left-hand button, a second control that is different from the first control action,

upon identifying the first operation in the contact surface area within the right-hand button, a third control that is different from the first control and the second control, and

upon identifying the second operation in the contact surface area within the right-hand button, a fourth control that is different from the first control, the second control, and the third control

such that, once the user performs the first and second operations via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons by changing the size of the contact surface area within each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons, the first, second, third, and fourth controls are performed with respect to at least one of the object and the virtual camera.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the user's touch operation is a tapping operation, a swiping operation, or a flicking operation.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller causes:

the object to move at a first speed as the first control, and

the object to move at a second speed that is different from the first speed as the second control.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3 , wherein

the object includes a character,

the controller generates the game image when the character is viewed from the virtual camera, and

the controller controls the virtual camera so that an appearance of the virtual game space changes when viewed from a viewpoint of the character, as the third control.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller causes the object to attack an opponent as the fourth control.

6. The information processing device according to claim 4 , wherein

the controller, as the fourth control:

controls the virtual camera so that an appearance of the virtual game space changes when viewed from a viewpoint of the character, and

causes the character to attack an opponent.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller determines whether a slide operation has been inputted by a movement in a predetermined direction of the indicated position, and

the controller causes the object to move in the predetermined direction in response to the slide operation.

8. A method of causing a computer to perform a game program comprising:

generating, by a controller of the computer, a game image of an object viewed from a virtual camera disposed in a virtual game space;

displaying the game image on a touch panel of the computer;

displays a left-hand button in a left-hand area on the touch panel;

displays a right-hand button in a right-hand area on the touch panel;

detecting, via the touch panel, an input of a user's touch operation on the game image;

identifying, within each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons by the controller, a contact surface area created by a user's tap gesture at an indicated position, that is indicated by the user's touch operation based on a detection signal indicating the detection of the input and that is different from a position of the object on the touch panel, wherein the user's touch operation is a single touch gesture comprising a first operation and a second operation;

determining that, by the controller, based on a size of the contact surface area within each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons,

the first operation has been inputted via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons upon determining that the size of the contact surface area is less than a predetermined value, and

the second operation has been inputted via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons upon determining that the size of the contact surface area is equal to or greater than the predetermined value,

such that a user can perform either of the first and second operations via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons only by changing the size of the contact surface area; and

performing, by the controller:

upon identifying the first operation in the contact surface area within the left-hand button in the first area, a first control,

upon identifying the second operation in the contact surface area within the left-hand button in the first area, a second control that is different from the first control,

upon identifying the first operation in the contact surface area within the right-hand button, a third control that is different from the first control and the second control, and

upon identifying the second operation in the contact surface area within the right-hand button, a fourth control that is different from the first control, the second control, and the third control,

such that, once the user performs the first and second operations via each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons by changing the size of the contact surface area within each of the left-hand and right-hand buttons, the first, second, third, and fourth controls are performed with respect to at least one of the object and the virtual camera.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 6, 2023
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SEGA GAMES DOING BUSINESS AS SEGA GAMES CO., LTD.
To: SEGA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064170/0473 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2020
From: ITO, SHINPEI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SEGA GAMES DOING BUSINESS AS SEGA GAMES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051608/0810 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-178172 · Sep 15, 2017 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2018022795 · Jun 14, 2018
Related Publication 20200155941A1 · May 21, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,515,131