Controller having accessory connectors for externalizing controls
First Claim
1. An accessory apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
an internal microcontroller contained within the housing;
an apparatus connector encased in the housing and exposed to an exterior environment, the apparatus connector being configured to mate with a corresponding accessory connector of a physical controller to electrically connect the internal microcontroller to the physical controller, the physical controller having a plurality of physical controls for triggering signals to control an application executed by a computing device;
a plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors encased in the housing and exposed to the exterior environment, each auxiliary accessory connector being configured to enable a separate auxiliary user input device to operatively connect to the accessory apparatus and electrically connect with the internal microcontroller; and
wherein the internal microcontroller is configured to;
(1) receive an input control signal from an auxiliary user input device operatively connected to an auxiliary accessory connector of the plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors,(2) map the input control signal to a mapped control signal corresponding to a physical control of the plurality of physical controls, and(3) send the mapped control signal to the physical controller via the apparatus connector.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An accessory apparatus includes a housing, an apparatus connector, a plurality of auxiliary accessory interfaces, and an internal microcontroller. The connection connector is configured to mate with a corresponding accessory connector of a physical controller to electrically connect the internal microcontroller to the physical controller. Each auxiliary accessory connector is configured to enable a separate auxiliary user input device to operatively connect to the accessory apparatus and electrically connect with the internal microcontroller. The internal microcontroller is configured to: (1) receive an input control signal from an auxiliary user input device operatively connected to an auxiliary accessory connector of the plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors, (2) map the input control signal to a mapped control signal corresponding to a physical control of the physical controller, and (3) send the mapped control signal to the physical controller via the apparatus connector.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An accessory apparatus, comprising:
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a housing; an internal microcontroller contained within the housing; an apparatus connector encased in the housing and exposed to an exterior environment, the apparatus connector being configured to mate with a corresponding accessory connector of a physical controller to electrically connect the internal microcontroller to the physical controller, the physical controller having a plurality of physical controls for triggering signals to control an application executed by a computing device; a plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors encased in the housing and exposed to the exterior environment, each auxiliary accessory connector being configured to enable a separate auxiliary user input device to operatively connect to the accessory apparatus and electrically connect with the internal microcontroller; and wherein the internal microcontroller is configured to; (1) receive an input control signal from an auxiliary user input device operatively connected to an auxiliary accessory connector of the plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors, (2) map the input control signal to a mapped control signal corresponding to a physical control of the plurality of physical controls, and (3) send the mapped control signal to the physical controller via the apparatus connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A physical controller, comprising:
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a communication interface configured to communicatively couple the physical controller with a computing device executing an application; a plurality of physical controls, each physical control of the plurality of physical controls being configured to generate one or more control signals to control the application executed by the computing device responsive to physical manipulation by a user; a plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors, each auxiliary accessory connector being configured to enable a separate auxiliary user input device to operatively connect to the physical controller; and an internal microcontroller configured to; (1) detect physical manipulation of a physical control of the plurality of physical controls, (2) send a control signal corresponding to the physical control to the computing device via the communication interface to control the application, (3) receive an input control signal from an auxiliary user input device operatively connected to an auxiliary accessory connector of the plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors, (4) map the input control signal to the control signal corresponding to the physical control of the plurality of physical controls, and (5) send the control signal to the computing device via the communication interface to control the application. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A physical controller, comprising:
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a communication interface configured to communicatively couple the physical controller with a computing device to control an application executed by the computing device; a plurality of physical controls, each physical control of the plurality of physical controls being configured to generate one or more control signals to control the application executed by the computing device based upon physical manipulation by a user; a plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors, each auxiliary accessory connector being configured to enable a separate auxiliary user input device to operatively connect to the physical controller; and an internal microcontroller configured to; (1) detect physical manipulation of a physical control of the plurality of physical controls, (2) send a control signal corresponding to the physical control to the computing device via the communication interface to control the application, (3) detect a set of active auxiliary accessory connectors of the plurality of auxiliary accessory connectors that are operatively connected to auxiliary user input devices, (4) map the set active auxiliary accessory connectors to a corresponding set of physical controls of the plurality of physical controls of the physical controller, (5) receive an input control signal from an auxiliary user input device operatively connected to a selected active auxiliary accessory connector, (6) map the input control signal to the control signal corresponding to the physical control of the set of physical controls that is mapped to the selected auxiliary accessory connector, and (7) send the control signal to the computing device via the communication interface to control the application.
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Specification