Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a mobile device and a method for controlling virtualization software thereof and more particularly to a mobile device having a virtual spin wheel and a virtual spin wheel control method of the mobile device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The diversification of application software (abbreviated as APP) in mobile devices is attributable to the rapid penetration of mobile devices, such as smart phones, tablet personal computers (Tablet PC) and the like, into all walks of life. Among those diversified application software nowadays, lots of application software is developed to simulate small games in real life for users of mobile devices to experience fun of various games. 
         [0005]    Given a virtual coin tossing method currently available in a mobile device as an example, when executing the virtual coin tossing method, the mobile device displays an image of a coin for users to touch and toss the image with a hand and then displays a coin toss animation. The mobile device finally uses a random number generator algorithm to give a result, such as a random integer, and displays a head or a tail based on the result that may be an odd number or an even number. Besides, The image of coin can be replaced by an image of dice having six surfaces determined and displayed according to six determination results generated by a random number generator algorithm, such as a remainder when a generated random integer is divided by six. 
         [0006]    Although the foregoing application software can simulate the virtual reality of coin or dice tossing, the tossing results heavily depend on the value randomly generated by the random number generator algorithm. As the random number generator algorithm is prone to manual alternation and the random number generation process fails to be transparent, the random number generator algorithm is hardly impartial and objective and the virtual software approach using the random number generator algorithm is not trustworthy in the public eye. Furthermore, as users simulate a coin or dice tossing movement by touching and tossing the image of a coin or a dice instead of actually tossing the coin or dice, the feel of a real coin or dice tossing is dramatically distinct from that of a virtual coin or dice tossing game with limited effect of virtual reality. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a mobile device having a virtual spin wheel and a virtual spin wheel control method with simulation effect resembling a spinning process of a real spin wheel. 
         [0008]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the mobile device having a virtual spin wheel has a body, a rotation sensor and a processing module. 
         [0009]    The body has a display mounted thereon. 
         [0010]    The rotation sensor is mounted in the body. 
         [0011]    The processing module is mounted in the body, is electrically connected to the display and the rotation sensor, is built in with a virtual spin wheel control procedure, and stores a spin wheel image and a pointer image. The virtual spin wheel control procedure reads the spin wheel image and the pointer image and displays the spin wheel image and the pointer image on the display, radially divides the spin wheel image into multiple angular target zones with each target zone defined to correspond to a selection result, sets up an initial alignment direction on the spin wheel image for the pointer image to point to the initial alignment direction, receives rotation data outputted from the rotation sensor and calculates a rotation angle of the mobile device according to the rotation data, adds the rotation angle to the initial alignment direction to determine a final alignment direction, determines a target zone on the pre-rotated spin wheel image of the mobile device to which the final alignment direction points, and executes an operation corresponding to the selection result designated to the target zone after the pointer image points to the target zone corresponding to the final alignment direction. 
         [0012]    When executing the virtual spin wheel control procedure, users flatly place and rotate the body until the body stops spinning. The processing module then acquires rotation data through the rotation sensor to obtain a rotation angle of the body, thereby determining a target zone to which the final alignment direction points and simulating real life Wheel of Fortune game. As the entire course of a real spinning process of the mobile device is viewed by users and the alignment of the pointer image displayed on the mobile device before and after the spinning is also viewed by users, users can check if the selection result corresponds to the rotation angle. Besides, the rotation angle of the mobile device is not controlled by random number algorithm software. Accordingly, the coming result is trustworthy, increases the fun, excitement and simulation effect for the random selection approach thereof similar to a real spin wheel game. 
         [0013]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the virtual spin wheel control method of a mobile device having a rotation sensor has steps of: 
         [0014]    generating and displaying the spin wheel image and the pointer image; 
         [0015]    radially dividing the spin wheel image into multiple angular target zones with each target zone defined to correspond to a selection result; 
         [0016]    setting up an initial alignment direction on the spin wheel image for the pointer image to point to the initial alignment direction; 
         [0017]    receiving rotation data outputted from the rotation sensor and calculating a rotation angle of the mobile device according to the rotation data; 
         [0018]    adding the rotation angle to the initial alignment direction to determine a final alignment direction; and 
         [0019]    determining a target zone on the pre-rotated spin wheel image of the mobile device to which the final alignment direction points, and executing an operation corresponding to the selection result designated to the target zone after the pointer image points to the target zone corresponding to the final alignment direction. 
         [0020]    Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a mobile device in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a virtual spin wheel having multiple target zones and a pointer in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a virtual spin wheel control method performed by the mobile device in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the virtual spin wheel in  FIG. 2  having multiple target zones with different angular ranges; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating a rotation angle of a mobile device in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6A  is a schematic view of the mobile device in  FIG. 5  with a stationary pointer to the mobile device prior to rotation; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6B  is a schematic view of the mobile device in  FIG. 5  with a stationary pointer to the mobile device after rotation; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7A  is a schematic view of the mobile device in  FIG. 5  with stationary target zones to the mobile device prior to rotation; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 7B  is a schematic view of the mobile device in  FIG. 5  with stationary target zones to the mobile device after rotation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    It is common for current mobile devices to be equipped with application software to simulate some positioning devices and sensing devices, such as compass, GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope and the like. The application software for compass outputs angle data in a range of 0° to 360°. The application software for GPS outputs a set of data associated with longitude and latitude. The application software for accelerometer outputs acceleration of gravity with respect to an orthogonal coordinate system. The application software for gyroscope outputs angular acceleration data around the rotation axes. Besides the information acquired from each positioning and sensing device, the application software can also acquire quaternion, rotation matrix, Euler angles and the like required for representation of rotation using the sensor fusion in the mobile devices. 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a mobile device having a virtual spin wheel has a body  10 , a rotation sensor  20  and a processing module  30 . 
         [0032]    The body  10  has a display  11  mounted thereon. In the present embodiment, the body  10  further has an input module  12  mounted thereon. 
         [0033]    The rotation sensor  20  is mounted in the body  10 , and may be a compass or a gyroscope. 
         [0034]    The processing module  30  is mounted in the body  10 , is electrically connected to the display  11  and the rotation sensor  20 , is built in with a virtual spin wheel control procedure, and stores a spin wheel image and a pointer image. In the present embodiment, the processing module  30  is electrically connected to the input module  12 . 
         [0035]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the virtual spin wheel control procedure has the following steps. 
         [0036]    Step S 11 : Generate the spin wheel image W 1  or read the spin wheel image W 1  built in the processing module  30 . In the present embodiment, the processing module  30  displays the spin wheel image W 1  to increase the simulation effect and the fun of the game. 
         [0037]    Step S 12 : Divide the spin wheel image W 1  into multiple angular target zones W 11 . Each target zone W 11  is defined to correspond to a selection result. In the present embodiment, the selection result of each target zone W 11  is inputted through the input module  12 . The input module  12  may be a touch panel or mechanical press buttons. Furthermore, the spin wheel image W 1  is evenly divided into ten target zones W 11  and each target zone W 11  is allocated to 36°. With reference to  FIG. 4 , the target zones W 11  differ in size and angular range so that users can adjust the probability of each selection result based on personal preference. 
         [0038]    Step S 13 : Set up an initial alignment direction AL 1  on the spin wheel image W 1  for the initial alignment direction AL 1  to point to one of the target zones W 11  (or points to a border line between adjacent two of the target zones W 11 ). In the present embodiment, further read and display the pointer image W 2  and let the pointer image W 2  point to the initial alignment direction AL 1 . The initial alignment direction can be configured to point to a top edge, a bottom edge or any other direction. 
         [0039]    Step S 14 : Receive rotation data outputted from the rotation sensor  20  and calculate a rotation angle θ of the mobile device according to the rotation data. Methods for calculating the rotation angle θ with the types of the rotation sensors  20  are discussed in details later. 
         [0040]    Step S 15 : Add the rotation angle θ to the initial alignment direction AL 1  to determine a final alignment direction AL 2 . 
         [0041]    Step S 16 : Determine a target zone W 11  on the pre-rotated spin wheel image W 1  of the mobile device to which the final alignment direction AL 2 points, and execute an operation corresponding to the selection result designated to the target zone W 11  after the pointer image W 2  points to the target zone W 11  corresponding to the final alignment direction AL 2 . In the present embodiment, each selection result may be operation of one of an animation, audio information or an image. In the present step, the display  11  plays an animation, audio information or an image according to the selection result designated to the target zone W 11  to which the final alignment direction AL 2  points. 
         [0042]    Even the virtual spin wheel control method does not display the spin wheel image W 1  and the pointer image W 2 , users can still spin the body  10  of the mobile device, and the selection result can be displayed after the body  10  stops spinning. However, if the virtual spin wheel control method displays the spin wheel image W 1  and the pointer image W 2 , users can actually view the whole process of relative rotation of the spin wheel image W 1  and the pointer image W 2 , and the spin wheel image W 1  or the pointer image W 2  is rotated according to the received rotation data. While the spin wheel image W 1  or the pointer image W 2  is rotated, people participating in the spin wheel game can view if the entire course matches the actual rotation of the mobile device, which makes the virtual spin wheel control method more trustworthy and vividly demonstrating the simulation effectiveness. 
         [0043]    In view of different data outputted from a compass and a gyroscope, Step S 14  for calculating a rotation angle is further described as follows to reflect the case that the rotation sensor  20  is a compass or a gyroscope. 
         [0044]    If the rotation sensor  20  is a compass, with reference to  FIG. 5 , the compass first detects a reference angle θ 0  between an initial alignment direction of the mobile device and the geomagnetic south (or north) pole AL n  of the earth. The initial alignment direction of the mobile device may be at an angle between 0° and 360° measured with respect to a center line of the mobile device. After the mobile device is flatly placed and rotated, the angle data outputted from the compass keep changing. Once the angle data outputted by the compass stop changing, it means that the mobile device has stopped spinning and the angle data by then is taken as a final angle θ 1 , which is measured with respect to the geomagnetic south pole or north pole. A rotation angle θ is obtained by subtracting the reference angle from the final angle (θ 1 −θ 0 ). If the rotation sensor  20  is a gyroscope, an angle θ α  (0° to 360°) is selected in Step S 13  for setting up an initial alignment direction. And in step S  14 , the rotation angle can be calculated from a series of angular acceleration data. The angular acceleration of the mobile device can be expressed as a function of time, f α (t), and is used to calculate the rotation angle, which can be obtained by the following equation, namely, ∫∫f α (t)·dt·dt. 
         [0045]    Furthermore, in the last step of displaying the pointer image W 2  corresponding to the final direction AL 2  on one of the target zones W 11 , either the pointer image W 2  can be set to be stationary to the mobile device while the spin wheel image W 1  is set to be rotatable or vice versa. For example, in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the pointer image W 2  in the display is stationary to the mobile device. And when the mobile device is rotated, the spin wheel image W 1  is rotated by an identical angle in a reverse direction. In  FIG. 6A , before the mobile device is rotated, the pointer image W 2  points to a border line between the target zone  10  and the target zone 1 on the spin wheel image W 1 . And in  FIG. 6B , after the mobile device  10  is rotated by an angle θ 4 , the spin wheel image W 1  is rotated by the angle of θ 4  in a reverse direction, allowing the stationary pointer image W 2  to point to the corresponding target zone 2. However, from the perspective of users, it appears that the spin wheel is stationary while the pointer is rotated. With reference to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the spin wheel image W 1  is stationary to the mobile device. And in  FIG. 7B , after the mobile device is rotated by an angle θ 5 , the pointer image W 2  is rotated by the angle θ 5  in a reverse direction, allowing it to point to the corresponding target zone of the stationary spin wheel image W 1 . However, from the perspective of users, it appears to users that the pointer is stationary and it is the spin wheel that is rotating. 
         [0046]    To randomly select one of the selection results with the foregoing virtual spin wheel control method, users need to flatly place and rotate the body  10  of the mobile device. After the body  10  stops spinning due to friction, the rotation angle defined by the body  10  determines the final alignment direction AL 2 . The final alignment direction AL 2  aligns with the selection result of one of the target zones W 11 . As software cannot control when the mobile device stops spinning, users spin the mobile device as they spin Wheel of Fortune with pointer stopping randomly at the divided target zones. Participants of the spin wheel game can observe the wheel-spinning process throughout the entire process, and physically check the rotation angle in display to see if it matches the rotation angle of the mobile device. This not only ensures a trustworthy and credible spin wheel game but also increases the fun and excitement of users when observing the wheel-spinning process and awaiting a result of the game. Moreover, because the method of spinning the spin wheel image W 1  (or the pointer image W 2 ) is performed by users to rotate the body  10  of the mobile device, the method can also simulate a real wheel-spinning situation, thereby making the simulation more vivid. 
         [0047]    In sum, the present invention allows users to spin a mobile device for a spin wheel image or a pointer image displayed on the mobile device to rotate, generates a random result determined by a process of rotating mobile device, which mimics the Wheel of Fortune game to make application software in mobile devices more entertaining. 
         [0048]    Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Category: 3