# US 12,594,499 B2 · Auxiliary virtual object control in virtual scene

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- Number: US 12,594,499 B2
- Document ID: US12594499B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/140,467
- Filed: 2023-04-27
- Published: 2023-08-17
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-31
- Assignees: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
- Applicants: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
- Inventors: Fenlin Cai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594499B2

## CPC

- A63F 13/58: by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
- A63F 13/426: involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
- A63F 13/52: involving aspects of the displayed game scene
- A63F 13/533: for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
- A63F 13/55: Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
- A63F 13/63: by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
- A63F 13/69: by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
- A63F 13/837: Shooting of targets
- G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
- G06V 10/761: {Proximity, similarity or dissimilarity measures}
- G06V 20/20: in augmented reality scenes
- G06T 2219/2004: Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts
- G06T 2219/2016: Rotation, translation, scaling
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

In a method for controlling an auxiliary virtual object in a virtual scene, a first virtual object is controlled to select a lock target in the virtual scene for the auxiliary virtual object. A lock command for the selected lock target is received. The auxiliary virtual object is controlled to enter a first assist state based on the lock command when the lock target is a second virtual object in the virtual scene. The auxiliary virtual object is configured to automatically perform at least one action on the second virtual object in the first assist state.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling an auxiliary virtual object in a virtual scene, the method comprising:
controlling a first virtual object to select a lock target in the virtual scene for the auxiliary virtual object;
receiving a lock command for the selected lock target;
displaying the auxiliary virtual object in a first form;
based on the lock target being a second virtual object in the virtual scene,
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to enter a first assist state based on the lock command, the auxiliary virtual object being configured to automatically perform at least one action on the second virtual object in the first assist state; and
based on the lock target being a scene location in the virtual scene,
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to move to a target location corresponding to the lock target based on the lock command, and
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to enter a second assist state and to switch from being displayed in the first form to being displayed in a second form of the second assist state at the target location.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
controlling the first virtual object to pick up a virtual item;
acquiring an attribute value of the first virtual object; and
calling, via the virtual item, the auxiliary virtual object based on the attribute value of the first virtual object satisfying a calling condition of the auxiliary virtual object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling the first virtual object to select the lock target comprises:
displaying a front sight pattern;
controlling the first virtual object to perform an aiming operation on the lock target with the front sight pattern; and
selecting the second virtual object in the virtual scene as the lock target based on the front sight pattern pointing at the lock target.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the lock command comprises:
displaying a lock control function to lock onto the selected lock target; and
receiving the lock command in response to selection of the lock control function.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
displaying the auxiliary virtual object in a following state in which the auxiliary virtual object moves along with the first virtual object; and
based on the lock target being the second virtual object, the controlling the auxiliary virtual object includes controlling the auxiliary virtual object to switch from the following state to the first assist state in which the at least one action is automatically performed in response to the lock command.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the lock target being the second virtual object, the controlling the auxiliary virtual object comprises:
acquiring a distance between the auxiliary virtual object and the lock target;
based on the distance being less than a target distance, controlling the auxiliary virtual object to perform the at least one action on the lock target; and
based on the distance not being less than the target distance, controlling the auxiliary virtual object to move to a first target area corresponding to the lock target and perform the at least one action on the lock target in the first target area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the controlling the auxiliary virtual object to move to the first target area comprises:
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to move to a second target area that includes the first target area, and
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to be in an interactive preparation state when the auxiliary virtual object moves to the second target area, the auxiliary virtual object holding a virtual assistance item; and
controlling the auxiliary virtual object in the interactive preparation state to move from the second target area toward the first target area, and
during movement from the second target area toward the first target area, controlling an orientation of the virtual assistance item to face the lock target by adjusting an orientation of the auxiliary virtual object in the interactive preparation state with respect to the lock target.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the lock target being the second virtual object, the controlling the auxiliary virtual object comprises:
acquiring a skill state of a virtual skill of the auxiliary virtual object; and
based on the skill state being an active state, controlling the auxiliary virtual object to perform, on the lock target, the at least one action corresponding to the virtual skill.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
after execution of the at least one action corresponding to the virtual skill is completed, controlling the virtual skill to switch from the active state to an inactive state, and displaying a remaining duration in which the virtual skill is in the inactive state; and
when the remaining duration reaches a remaining duration threshold, controlling the virtual skill to switch from the inactive state to the active state, and controlling the auxiliary virtual object to perform, on the lock target, the at least one action corresponding to the virtual skill.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the lock target being the second virtual object in the virtual scene, the method further comprises:
displaying lock prompt information indicating that the second virtual object is the lock target; and
displaying state prompt information indicating that the auxiliary virtual object is in the first assist state.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the lock target being the scene location, the controlling the auxiliary virtual object to move to the target location comprises:
when a distance between the lock target and the first virtual object exceeds a target distance, acquiring a vertical height of a lock point corresponding to the lock target from a ground in the virtual scene; and
when the vertical height does not exceed a height threshold, determining a location of a vertical projection point of the lock point on the ground as the target location, and controlling the auxiliary virtual object to move to the target location.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary virtual object in the second assist state is configured to
reduce an effect of an action performed by the second virtual object from a first side of the auxiliary virtual object, or
enhance an effect of an action performed by the first virtual object from a second side of the auxiliary virtual object.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein the second virtual object is highlighted when viewed through the auxiliary virtual object in the second assist state.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a recall command for the auxiliary virtual object; and
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to exit the first assist state in response to the recall command.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, wherein the receiving the recall command comprises:
receiving the recall command based on one of a recall control for the auxiliary virtual object and a distance between the auxiliary virtual object and the first virtual object exceeding a distance threshold.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, wherein the controlling the auxiliary virtual object to exit the first assist state comprises:
based on the at least one action being completed, controlling the auxiliary virtual object to exit the first assist state in response to the recall command; and
based on the at least one action not being completed, controlling the auxiliary virtual object to exit the first assist state in response to the recall command after execution of the at least one action is completed.

### Claim 17

An apparatus, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to:
control a first virtual object to select a lock target in a virtual scene for an auxiliary virtual object;
receive a lock command for the selected lock target;
display the auxiliary virtual object in a first form;
based on the lock target being a second virtual object in the virtual scene,
control the auxiliary virtual object to enter a first assist state based on the lock command, the auxiliary virtual object being configured to automatically perform at least one action on the second virtual object in the first assist state; and
based on the lock target being a scene location in the virtual scene,
control the auxiliary virtual object to move to a target location corresponding to the lock target based on the lock command, and
control the auxiliary virtual object to enter a second assist state and to switch from being displayed in the first form to being displayed in a second form of the second assist state at the target location.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the auxiliary virtual object in the second assist state is configured to:
reduce an effect of an action performed by the second virtual object from a first side of the auxiliary virtual object, or
enhance an effect of an action performed by the first virtual object from a second side of the auxiliary virtual object.

### Claim 19

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform:
controlling a first virtual object to select a lock target in a virtual scene for an auxiliary virtual object;
receiving a lock command for the selected lock target;
displaying the auxiliary virtual object in a first form;
based on the lock target being a second virtual object in the virtual scene,
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to enter a first assist state based on the lock command, the auxiliary virtual object being configured to automatically perform at least one action on the second virtual object in the first assist state; and
based on the lock target being a scene location in the virtual scene,
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to move to a target location corresponding to the lock target based on the lock command, and
controlling the auxiliary virtual object to enter a second assist state and to switch from being displayed in the first form to being displayed in a second form of the second assist state at the target location.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the auxiliary virtual object in the second assist state is configured to:
reduce an effect of an action performed by the second virtual object from a first side of the auxiliary virtual object, or
enhance an effect of an action performed by the first virtual object from a second side of the auxiliary virtual object.