Game controller

• US 10,398,967 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moveaim AB
• Original Assignee: Moveaim AB
• Inventors: Andersson, Bengt, Andersson, Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Torimiro, Adetokunbo O
• Application Number:
  US15/561,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20180117458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 463 5, 463 20, 463 22, 463 25, 463 30, 463 37, 463 39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03544 having dual sensing arrangement, e.g. two balls or two coils used to track rotation of the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

The present invention relates an input controller (100) for interacting with a virtual environment, and more specifically to an input controller comprising a first body (102) and a second body (104) connected to the first body, wherein the first body comprises a first input device (106) and the second body comprises a second input device (108). The first input device provides input control to the virtual environment with a first movement with at least 5 degrees of freedom in the virtual environment, the first movement being a relative movement, and the second input device provides input control to the virtual environment with a second movement with at least 2 degrees of freedom in the virtual environment, the second movement being an absolute movement.

Claims

1. An input controller for interacting with a virtual environment, comprising:

a first body and

a second body connected to the first body,

wherein the first body comprises;

a first input device resiliently suspended on the input controller so as to spring-back to a first origin when moved and released,

the first input device being arranged to move relative the first origin with at least 5 degrees of freedom and arranged to interact with the virtual environment by a first movement with at least 5 degrees of freedom in the virtual environment,

the first movement corresponding to a movement by the first input device relative the first origin, wherein the first movement is a relative movement,

wherein the second body comprises;

a second input device being arranged for receiving an input in at least 2 degrees of freedom relative a second origin,

the second input device being arranged to interact with the virtual environment by a second movement with at least 2 degrees of freedom in the virtual environment,

the second movement corresponding to a received input of the second input device relative the second origin, wherein the second movement is an absolute movement,

wherein the input controller further comprises

a suspension device fixed to the input controller and extending on an inside of the first body to a center of the first input device,

the suspension device providing a suspension point substantially at a center of the first input device for the resilient suspension of the first input device, wherein the first origin is located at the suspension point, and

wherein the first body and the second body are separated such that the received input of the second input device relative the second origin is received without implicating movement of the first input device relative the first origin.

2. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein the suspension device comprises an end part substantially at the center of the first input device, and a plurality of springs attached to the end part, wherein the first input device is resiliently suspended on the input controller by being attached to the plurality of springs.

3. The input controller according to claim 2, wherein the end part has a spherical shape, and wherein the plurality of springs is attached to the surface of the spherical shaped end part in an evenly spread out fashion.

4. The input controller according to claim 2, wherein the end part is shaped as a thin and flat object, and wherein the plurality of springs is attached to one side of the end part in an evenly spread out fashion.

5. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein the suspension device is fixed to the second body.

6. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein the first origin is located substantially at the center of the first body.

7. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein the first input device is arranged to move around the first origin with at least 5 degrees of freedom by movements of the first body relative the second body.

8. The input controller according to claim 1, having a symmetrical design.

9. The input controller according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and the second body has a substantially cylindrical shape and wherein the first body is connected with the second body such that the input controller is shaped as an eight in cross section.

10. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein the second input device is a pressure pad and wherein the second origin is located at a position on the pressure pad in which a proceeding input was received by the pressure pad.

11. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second body comprises an elongated handle portion configured for holding by a single hand of a user and wherein the first body is directly electrically connected to the second body via a wire.

12. The input controller according to claim 11, wherein the suspension device is fixed to the elongated handle portion of the first body.

13. The input controller according to claim 11, wherein the first input device is disposed at one end of the elongated handle portion of the first body, wherein the first input device is resiliently suspended on the elongated handle portion of the first body.

14. The input controller according to claim 11, wherein the second input device is a pressure pad positioned on the second body proximate to a location of a thumb of the user'"'"'s single hand, when the input controller is held, and wherein the second origin is located at a position on the pressure pad in which a proceeding input was received by the pressure pad.

15. The input controller according to claim 11, wherein the second input device is arranged for receiving the input in 6 degrees of freedom relative the second origin by movement of the second body relative second origin, wherein the second origin is located at a position in space in which the second body was located when a proceeding input was received by the second input device.

16. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein the first body and the second body are integrally formed, and wherein the input controller is configured for holding by a single hand of a user and moved on an underlying surface, wherein the received input of the second input device is based on a movement of the input controller relative to the underlying surface.

17. The input controller according to claim 16, wherein the input controller has a recess in a surface of the input controller configured to be moved on the underlying surface, wherein the first input device is resiliently suspended in the recess.

18. The input controller according to claim 1, wherein the first body and the second body are integrally formed, wherein the second body comprises a protruding part, wherein the first input device is a cylinder shaped device that encompasses the protruding part of the second body, and is arranged to move around the protruding part, and wherein the second input device is a pressure pad located on a top surface of protruding part, and wherein the second origin is located at a position on the pressure pad in which a proceeding input was received by the pressure pad.