The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 18, 2008
Filed:
Feb. 04, 2003
Christina Summer Chen, Kirkland, WA (US);
Mattias J. Gruvman, Gothenburg, SE;
Gregory Edmund Murphy, Redmond, WA (US);
Jan Andreas Roman, Gothenburg, SE;
Christina Summer Chen, Kirkland, WA (US);
Mattias J. Gruvman, Gothenburg, SE;
Gregory Edmund Murphy, Redmond, WA (US);
Jan Andreas Roman, Gothenburg, SE;
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
To assist a player in navigating an open grid within a game or virtual environment, a global indicator and a local indicator are displayed within the virtual environment. The global indicator continuously indicates a straight line direction between an object controlled by the player and a next goal unattained within the virtual environment. As the object approaches within a predefined distance from a turn that should be taken to reach the next unattained goal, a local indicator is displayed showing the direction that the object should be turned to reach the goal. The local indicator is removed from the display after a predefined time has elapsed. Preferably, the local indicator is not displayed before a turn so long as continuing to move the object along a current path without turning at the next turn will permit the object to reach the next unattained goal.