IP Library Granted Patent US 8,317,582
Granted Patent B2
US 8,317,582 · App. 12/565,072 · Granted Nov 27, 2012

Game control program, game device and game control method

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,317,582
App. No.
12/565,072
Granted
Nov 27, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A game device includes an object arrangement changing unit for changing the arrangement of objects, which are of plural kinds, placed in a game field following an instruction from a user, an arrangement condition determining unit for determining objects that meet an arrangement condition for erasure out of a plurality of objects placed in the game field and selecting the objects that meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased, an object kind changing unit for changing the kind of the objects selected as objects to be erased, and an object erasing unit for erasing the objects selected as objects to be erased. The arrangement condition determining unit determines again objects that meet the arrangement condition and further selects objects that newly meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased, during a time from when the kind of the objects selected as objects to be erased is changed by the object kind changing unit until when the objects are erased by the object erasing unit.

Claims (24)

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a game control program executed by a computer, the program comprising:

a module for managing data of objects in an object database in a memory, the objects being of plural kinds and placed in a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional game field;

a module for changing an arrangement of the objects following an instruction from an input device by a user and updating the object database in the memory;

a module for determining objects that meet an arrangement condition for erasure thereof out of a plurality of objects placed in the game field and selecting the objects that meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased by referring to the object database in the memory;

a module for changing the kind of the objects selected as objects to be erased, sequentially cycling through the plurality of kinds objects, and updating the object database in the memory; and

a module for erasing the objects selected as objects to be erased after a predetermined time lapse from the changing of the kind thereof by the module for changing the kind thereof, and updating the object database in the memory,

wherein the module for determining the objects to be erased determines again objects that meet the arrangement condition and further selects objects that newly meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased, during a time period from the changing of the kind of the objects selected as objects to be erased by the module for changing the kind thereof to the erasure of the objects by the module for erasing the objects by referring to the object database in the memory.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , further comprising a module for restricting the change of the arrangement of objects, based on a time lapse from the changing of the arrangement by the module for changing the arrangement of objects.

3. A game device comprising:

an object database stored in a memory, for storing data of objects which are of plural kinds and placed in a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional game field;

an object arrangement changing unit configured to change an arrangement of the objects following an instruction from an input device by a user and to update the object database in the memory;

an arrangement condition determining unit configured to determine objects that meet an arrangement condition for erasure thereof out of a plurality of objects placed in the game field and select the objects that meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased by referring to the object database in the memory;

an object kind changing unit configured to change the kind of the objects selected as objects to be erased, sequentially cycling through the plurality of kinds of objects, and to update the object database in the memory; and

an object erasing unit configured to erase the objects selected as objects to be erased after a predetermined time lapse from the changing of the kind thereof by the object kind changing unit, and to update the object database in the memory,

wherein the arrangement condition determining unit determines again objects that meet the arrangement condition and further selects objects that newly meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased, during a time period from when the kind of the objects selected as objects to be erased is changed by the object kind changing unit to when the objects are erased by the object erasing unit by referring to the object database in the memory.

4. A method for controlling a game, the method comprising:

managing data of objects in an object database in a memory, the objects being of plural kinds and placed in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional game field;

changing an arrangement of the objects following an instruction from an input device by a user and updating the object database in the memory;

determining objects that meet an arrangement condition for erasure thereof out of a plurality of objects placed in the game field and selecting the objects that meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased by referring to the object database in the memory;

changing the kind of the objects selected as objects to be erased, sequentially cycling through the plurality of kinds of objects, and updating the object database in the memory; and

determining again objects that meet the arrangement condition and selecting objects that newly meet the arrangement condition as objects to be erased by referring to the object database in the memory; and

erasing the objects selected as objects to be erased and updating the object database in the memory.

5. The game device according to claim 3 , further comprising an object managing unit configured to restrict the change of the arrangement of objects, based on a time lapse from the changing of the arrangement by the object arrangement changing unit.

6. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising restricting the change of the arrangement of objects, based on a time lapse from the changing of the arrangement of objects.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2011
From: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 027449/0546 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 26, 2011
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
Reel/Frame 027448/0794 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2009
From: NAGAOKA, YASUHITO
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 023516/0169 →