Touch Path Prediction for Reliable Direction Input in Games

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing game systems using touch panels are prone to erroneous direction inputs due to the user inadvertently selecting incorrect directions, especially when multiple paths are available and environmental restrictions are present.

Innovation Solution

A system that acquires touch location information, predicts the intended path based on the touch location and environmental restrictions, and displays a predicted movement direction, or selects between multiple possible directions at connection points, reducing erroneous inputs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a touch panel is used to receive direction instructions from users, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to erroneous operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays predicted movement paths and connection points to the user, providing feedback about the intended direction before execution. This allows users to verify and correct their input, preventing erroneous operations while maintaining touch panel ease of use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary prediction of the movement path based on touch location and environmental restrictions before the object actually moves. This preliminary action identifies potential errors in user input and allows for correction before the movement is executed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple paths are available in the game space, then the adaptability is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates in determining the intended direction

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidmeasurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces connection points as intermediary elements between the user's touch input and the final movement execution. These connection points serve as reference markers that help disambiguate the intended direction when multiple paths are available, improving measurement precision without reducing adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the system predicts and displays the intended path before movement, then the reliability is improved by reducing erroneous inputs, but the loss of time increases due to additional processing

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidloss of time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial prediction by calculating only the immediate next path segment and connection point rather than the entire movement trajectory. This partial action provides sufficient feedback for error prevention while minimizing the time cost of the prediction process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12472432B2Information processing method and recording medium

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO LTD

AI summary

An acquirer acquires touch location information indicating a touch location on a touch panel. A designator designates the moving direction of an object in the game space based on the touch location information. In a case in which there are multiple paths in which the object is movable in a game space, a predictor predicts, from among the multiple paths, a path in which the object will be moving, based on the moving direction designated by the designator and a shape of an environment that restricts movement of the object in the game space. The display controller displays an image indicating a prediction result by the predictor in the game space.