This month's User Interface & Experience category includes 3 granted patents from NetEase (1), Supercell (1), and Tencent (1).
The patents address touch-based control systems designed to streamline mobile gaming interactions. NetEase's technology allows players to customize the visibility and display of teammate map markers for enhanced tactical coordination. Supercell describes a multi-touch interface that enables simultaneous resource deployment across multiple screen positions, while Tencent's patent covers an automated movement control that simplifies joystick navigation on touchscreen devices.
NetEase received 1 patent that gives players granular control over how they see teammate-placed markers on tactical maps. Rather than displaying all teammate markers with uniform properties, the system lets each player individually adjust parameters like size, opacity, and color for specific markers from specific teammates. This approach addresses visual clutter in team-based games while letting players emphasize the tactical information most relevant to their role.
Supercell received 1 patent covering a multi-touch deployment system for strategic mobile games. The technology allows players to select a resource or unit type and then deploy it across multiple screen locations simultaneously through a single gesture, rather than tapping each location separately. The system also modulates deployment behavior based on how quickly or forcefully the player touches the screen, adding a layer of control to what would otherwise be simple tap mechanics.
Tencent received 1 patent that reduces the input complexity of movement controls in mobile shooter games. The system allows players to initiate continuous running with a single tap instead of requiring constant joystick manipulation, addressing finger fatigue during extended play sessions. The patent also describes combining multiple actions, such as standing up from a crouch and beginning forward movement, into one unified gesture that requires fewer discrete touch inputs.