Convertible single-turn to multi-turn gaming steering wheel

• US 20070054737A1
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Wegmuller, David, Kehoe, Aidan, McVicar, David, Burgel, Thomas, Klumb, Keith, Juncker, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 8,088,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for operating a gaming wheel system including a steering wheel which may be a single-turn wheel (at most 360° lock-to-lock) or a multi-turn wheel (more than 360° lock-to-lock) to play a game which may be designed for a single-turn wheel (a legacy game) or a multi-turn wheel (a native game, irrespective of whether it takes advantage of the multi-turn capability or not). The system is configured to operate the gaming wheel system in one of four states. The first state is the single-turn, legacy mode state for operating either a single-turn wheel or a multi-turn wheel in the single-turn mode to play a legacy game. The second state is the multi-turn, legacy mode state for operating a multi-turn wheel in the multi-turn mode to play a legacy game. The third state is the single-turn, native mode state for operating either a single-turn wheel or a multi-turn wheel in the single-turn mode to play a native game. The fourth state is the multi-turn, native mode state for operating a multi-turn wheel in the multi-turn mode to play a native game.

Claims

1. A multi-turn gaming wheel system comprising:

a steering wheel rotatable from a centered position in a counter-clockwise direction for over 180° and

in a clockwise direction for over 180°

to provide more than 360°

lock-to-lock;

a single-turn stop movable between a single-turn mode position and a multi-turn mode position, the single-turn stop limiting the steering wheel to rotation from the centered position of at most 180°

in the counter-clockwise direction and at most 180°

in the clockwise direction to provide at most 360°

lock-to-lock in the single-turn mode, the single-turn stop not limiting the steering wheel in rotation in the multi-turn mode position; and

an operating mode module configured to communicate with a host system and to set an operating mode for the steering wheel to be in a legacy mode to provide input to the host system for playing a legacy game designed for a single-turn wheel capable of at most 360°

lock-to-lock, or in a native mode to provide input to the host system for playing a native game designed for a multi-turn wheel capable of more than 360°

lock-to-lock.