Operating device

• US 10,507,386 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Igarashi, Takeshi, Morita, Masaho, Enomoto, Kazuyoshi, Aoki, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/663,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20170348596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 463 37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks

Abstract

In order to reduce influences of light from indoor lighting equipment or the like on the accuracy in detecting the position of an operating device, an operating device includes: left and right hold sections to be held by a user, each of which is provided with an operating member at an upper surface thereof; a central section which is a section between the left and right hold sections; and a light emitting surface adapted to emit light to be captured by an information processing apparatus through a camera, the light emitting surface provided at a front surface of the central section. The central section includes a portion which is located over the light emitting surface and is located on a more forward side than the light emitting surface.

Claims

1. An operating device comprising:

a front surface;

an upper surface;

a touch sensor;

a light source;

a plurality of operating members disposed on the upper surface; and

a light emitting area defined in the upper surface and configured to be made luminous by the light source.

2. The operating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light guide member disposed inside said operating device, wherein

the light emitting area on the upper surface is positioned upwardly from the light guide member.

3. The operating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a face panel constituting a portion of the upper surface, formed of a light transmitting material and including the light emitting area.

4. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein

the touch sensor is provided on the upper surface, and

the light emitting area on the upper surface is located along an edge of the touch sensor.

5. The operating device according to claim 4,

wherein the light emitting area is located along a front edge of the touch sensor.

6. The operating device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a face panel constituting a portion of the upper surface, wherein

the touch sensor is attached on the face panel, and

the face panel is formed of a light transmitting material and includes the light emitting area in a portion of the face panel.

7. The operating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plate-like operating member that is provided to the upper surface and is vertically movable to function as a button, wherein

the light emitting area is defined on the plate-like operating member.

8. The operating device according to claim 7, wherein

the plate-like operating member comprises a face panel formed of a light transmitting material, and

the light from the light source passes through the light emitting area defined on the face panel.

9. The operating device according to claim 7, wherein the light emitting area and the touch sensor are configured to move together in an up-down direction.

10. The operating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light emitting surface located on the front surface, wherein

the light source is configured to emit light to make the light emitting surface luminous.

11. The operating device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a light guide member disposed inside said operating device and extending toward the light emitting surface defined on the front surface;

the light guide member comprises a plurality of side surfaces; and

the plurality of side surfaces are inclined such that a width of the light guide member in a left-right direction gradually increases toward the light emitting surface.

12. The operating device according to claim 11, wherein the light guide member comprises:

a first portion extending forwardly from the light source;

a second portion arranged along the light emitting surface; and

a bent portion formed between the first portion and the second portion.

13. The operating device according to claim 12, wherein

the bent portion is configured such that an obtuse angle is formed between the first portion and the second portion.

14. The operating device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a light guide member disposed inside said operating device, arranged along the light emitting surface located on the front surface, and adapted to guide the light from the light source to the light emitting surface, wherein

the light emitting area on the upper surface is positioned upwardly from the light guide member.

15. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the touch sensor corresponds to a length of the light emitting area.