# US 12,594,498 B2 · Recording medium, control method for server apparatus, and control method for terminal apparatus

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- Number: US 12,594,498 B2
- Document ID: US12594498B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/955,902
- Filed: 2022-09-29
- Published: 2023-01-26
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-31
- Assignees: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hideyuki Takahashi; Hiromori Hattori; Hiroki Yamazaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594498B2

## CPC

- A63F 13/55: Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
- A63F 13/822: Strategy games; Role-playing games (A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence)
- A63F 13/2145: the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
- A63F 13/35: Details of game servers
- A63F 13/45: Controlling the progress of the video game
- A63F 13/53: involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
- A63F 13/533: for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
- A63F 13/58: by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
- A63F 13/80: Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
- A63F 2300/308: Details of the user interface
- A63F 2300/5546: using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
- A63F 2300/63: for controlling the execution of the game in time
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded therein a program executed by a processor of a server apparatus, the program causing the processor to: receive a first user's input for a competitive video game that uses (i) card objects of the first user of a first terminal apparatus, and (ii) enemy card objects of a second user of a second terminal apparatus; place, on a first deck zone, a first type card object of the first user, place, on a second deck zone, a second type card object and a third type card object; in response to a first user's input; allow the first type card object to be placed on a first area on which placement of the enemy card objects is not allowed; allow the second type card object placed on the second deck zone to be placed on a second area on which placement of at least one of the enemy card objects is allowed; and allow the third type object card placed on the second deck zone to be placed on the first area or the second area.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded therein a program executed by at least one processor of a server apparatus, the program causing the at least one processor to:
receive a user input made by a first user for a competitive video game, the competitive video game configured to generate a game image displaying a field of the competitive video game, the competitive video game using:
a plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user of a first terminal apparatus that is configured to communicate with the server apparatus; and
a plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by a second user of a second terminal apparatus that is configured to communicate with the server apparatus;
place, on a first deck zone, a first type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user;
place, on a second deck zone, a second type card object and a third type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user, wherein the second type card object comprises one or more link markers configured to indicate a direction corresponding to a position of an adjacent zone and/or area in the field;
allow the first type card object to be placed on a first area on which placement of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is not allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user;
allow the second type card object placed on the second deck zone to be placed on a second area limited to an initial zone of placement on which placement of at least one of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user, wherein the initial zone of placement does not include the adjacent zone and/or area;
allow the third type card object card placed on the second deck zone to be placed on the first area or the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user;
render the one or more link markers to be one or more active link markers in response to a user input made by the first user, wherein the one or more active link markers are configured to transform the adjacent zone and/or area into the initial zone of placement; and
transmit a command to at least one of the first terminal apparatus or the second terminal apparatus to cause one or more display sections associated therewith to:
display the one or more link markers, the adjacent zone and/or area, and the field; and
visually indicate the one or more active link markers rendered in response to the user input made by the first user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein, based on the second type card object being placed on the second area, the program causes the at least one processor to allow the second type card object to be placed on an area that is a part of the first area and is indicated by the second type card object placed on the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the program causes the at least one processor to:
place, on the second deck zone, a fourth type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user such that a first surface of two surfaces included in the fourth type card object is visible to the first user;
allow the fourth type card object, which is placed on the second deck zone such that the first surface is visible to the first user, to be placed on the first area or the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user;
allow the fourth type card object, which is placed on the second deck zone such that a second surface of the two surfaces included in the fourth type card object is visible to the first user, to be placed on the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user; and
place the fourth type card object on the second deck zone such that the second surface is visible to the first user, based on a first effect affecting the fourth type card object placed on the first area or the second area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the program causes the at least one processor to place the fourth type card object on the second deck zone such that the first surface is visible to the first user, based on a second effect affecting the fourth type card object placed on the first area or the second area.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 3, wherein-, based on the second type card object being placed on the second area, the program causes the at least one processor to allow the fourth type card object, which is placed on the second deck zone such that the second surface is visible to the first user, to be placed on an area that is a part of the first area and is indicated by the second type card object placed on the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein the one or more display sections is further configured to visually indicate the one or more active link markers rendered in response to the user input made by the first user by displaying the one or more active link markers as black.

### Claim 7

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded therein a program executed by at least one processor of a first terminal apparatus, the program causing the at least one processor to:
receive a user input made by a first user for a competitive video game, the competitive video game configured to generate a game image displaying a field of the competitive video game, the competitive video game using:
a plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user of the first terminal apparatus; and
a plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by a second user of a second terminal apparatus that is configured to communicate with the first terminal apparatus;
place, on a first deck zone, a first type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user;
place, on a second deck zone, a second type card object and a third type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user, wherein the second type card object comprises one or more link markers configured to indicate a direction corresponding to a position of an adjacent zone and/or area in the field;
allow the first type card object to be placed on a first area on which placement of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is not allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user;
allow the second type card object placed on the second deck zone to be placed on a second area limited to an initial zone of placement on which placement of at least one of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user, wherein the initial zone of placement does not include the adjacent zone and/or area; and
allow the third type card object placed on the second deck zone to be placed on the first area or the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user; and
render the one or more link markers to be one or more active link markers in response to another user input made by the first user,
wherein the one or more active link markers are configured to transform the adjacent zone and/or area into the initial zone of placement,
wherein at least one of the first terminal apparatus or the second terminal apparatus comprises one or more display sections configured to:
display the one or more link markers, the adjacent zone and/or area, and the field, and
visually indicate the one or more active link markers rendered in response to the another user input made by the first user.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 7,
wherein the one or more display sections is further configured to visually indicate the one or more active link markers rendered in response to the user input made by the first user by displaying the one or more active link markers as black.

### Claim 9

A computer-implemented control method for a server apparatus comprising:
receiving a user input made by a first user for a competitive video game, the competitive video game configured to generate a game image displaying a field of the competitive video game, the competitive video game using:
a plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user of a first terminal apparatus that is configured to communicate with the server apparatus; and
a plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by a second user of a second terminal apparatus that is configured to communicate with the server apparatus;
placing, on a first deck zone, a first type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user;
placing, on a second deck zone, a second type card object and a third type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user, wherein the second type card object comprises one or more link markers configured to indicate a direction corresponding to a position of an adjacent zone and/or area in the field;
allowing the first type card object to be placed on a first area on which placement of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is not allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user;
allowing the second type card object placed on the second deck zone to be placed on a second area limited to an initial zone of placement on which placement of at least one of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user, wherein the initial zone of placement does not include the adjacent zone and/or area;
allowing the third type card object placed on the second deck zone to be placed on the first area or the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user;
rendering the one or more link markers to be one or more active link markers in response to another user input made by the first user;
allowing the one or more active link markers to transform the adjacent zone and/or area into the initial zone of placement;
displaying, on one or more display sections of at least one of the first terminal apparatus or the second terminal apparatus, the one or more link markers, the adjacent zone and/or area, and the field; and
visually indicating, on the one or more display sections, the one or more active link markers rendered in response to the another user input made by the first user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The computer-implemented control method for the server apparatus according to claim 9,
wherein the visually indicating comprises displaying the one or more active link markers as black.

### Claim 11

A computer-implemented control method for a terminal apparatus comprising:
receiving a user input made by a first user for a competitive video game, the competitive video game generating a game image displaying a field of the competitive video game, and using:
a plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user of the terminal apparatus; and
a plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by a second user of another terminal apparatus that is configured to communicate with the terminal apparatus;
placing, on a first deck zone, a first type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user;
placing, on a second deck zone, a second type card object and a third type card object from among the plurality of card objects to be manipulated by the first user, wherein the second type card object comprises one or more link markers configured to indicate a direction corresponding to a position of an adjacent zone and/or area in the field;
allowing the first type card object to be placed on a first area on which placement of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is not allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user;
allowing the second type card object placed on the second deck zone to be placed on a second area limited to an initial zone of placement on which placement of at least one of the plurality of enemy card objects to be manipulated by the second user is allowed, in response to a user input made by the first user, wherein the initial zone of placement does not include the adjacent zone and/or area;
allowing the third type card object card placed on the second deck zone to be placed on the first area or the second area, in response to a user input made by the first user;
rendering the one or more link markers to be one or more active link markers in response to another user input made by the first user;
allowing the one or more active link markers to transform the adjacent zone and/or area into the initial zone of placement;
displaying, on one or more display sections of at least one of the terminal apparatus or the another terminal apparatus, the one or more link markers, the adjacent zone and/or area, and the field; and
visually indicating, on the one or more display sections, the one or more active link markers rendered in response to the another user input made by the first user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer-implemented control method for the terminal apparatus according to claim 11,
wherein the visually indicating comprises displaying the one or more active link markers as black.