Wireless game control units

• US 20040166939A1
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freedom Wave LLC
• Original Assignee: Freedom Wave LLC
• Inventors: Leifer, Richard, Peng, Chi-Fu, Leifer, Alan E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,878,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/06 using player-operated means for controlling the position of a specific area display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

A wireless control unit includes a controller having wireless transmitter circuitry for transmitting game information, and a console interface/adapter for converting one of the communication ports of the game console into a wireless receiver/transmitter. The console interface/adapter also includes an additional communication port so as to provide the user with access to the used communication port while the interface/adapter is operably disposed within the communication port of the game console.

Claims

1. A wireless control unit for converting a video game system having a game console with game controller ports and being adapted to operate with wired game controllers connected to the game controller ports into a system operable with wireless controllers, the wireless controller unit comprising:

a game controller having at least one user operable switch, wireless transmitter circuitry for transmitting game information, wireless receiver circuitry for receiving controller information, and a vibrating member; and

a console interface connected to the game console via at least one of the game controller ports and having wireless receiver circuitry for receiving the game information from the game controller, said console interface including wireless transmitter circuitry for wirelessly transmitting controller information to the game controller, said controller information including control signals for activating said vibrating member.

2. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, wherein said game controller further comprises a channel selection switch for selecting an operational frequency of said game controller.

3. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, wherein said console interface further comprises a channel selection switch for selecting an operation frequency of said console interface.

4. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, wherein the game console further comprises wireless receiver circuitry for receiving the game information from the game controller.

5. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, wherein said console interface further comprises power supply means for supplying power to said wireless transmitter circuitry.

6. The wireless control unit according to claim 5, wherein said power supply means comprises a battery disposed within said console interface.

7. The wireless control unit according to claim 5, wherein said power supply means comprises power obtained from the game console through the game controller port.

8. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, wherein said console interface further comprises a pass through connection for the game port.

9. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, further comprising wireless communication protocol.

10. The wireless control unit according to claim 9, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises Infrared (IR) from said game controller to said console interface.

11. The wireless control unit according to claim 9, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises Radio Frequency (RF) from said game controller to said console interface.

12. The wireless control unit according to claim 9, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises IR from said console interface to said game controller.

13. The wireless control unit according to claim 9, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises RF from said console interface to said game controller.

14. The wireless control unit according to claim 9, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises IR from said console interface to said game controller and RF from said game controller to said console interface.

15. The wireless control unit according to claim 9, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises RF from said console interface to said game controller and IR from said game controller to said console interface.

16. The wireless control unit according to claim 4, wherein the game console wireless receiver comprises an IR receiver.

17. The wireless control unit according to claim 16, wherein said game controller transmits game information to the game console via said IR receiver.

18. The wireless control unit according to claim 17, wherein said game controller transmits the game information at a predetermined frequency.

19. The wireless control unit according to claim 4, wherein the game console wireless receiver comprises an RF receiver.

20. The wireless control unit according to claim 19, wherein said game controller transmits game information to the game console via said RF receiver.

21. The wireless control unit according to claim 20, wherein said game controller transmits the game information at a predetermined frequency.

22. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, wherein said console interface further comprises a built in connector that is directly connected to the game port without wires.

23. The wireless control unit according to claim 1, wherein said control signals for activating said vibrating member include signals for selective activating said internal vibration member in response to action within a game being played.