Foot-actuated mat with flashing indicators for video game console

• US 20090156308A1
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kent T.J. Hsu
• Original Assignee: Kent T.J. Hsu
• Inventors: Hsu, Kent T. J.
• Application Number:
  US11/957,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156308A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

Provided is a mat for a video game console. The mat includes a zone including weight sensitive pads having a mark on the top surface; an LCD; indicators around a track surrounding the zone and bordering the LCD; a light controller; a transceiver; and an MCU. In response to stepping on one pad corresponding to a mark shown on a TV associated with the console, the pad is activated to enable the MCU to generate a signal representing which pad the foot is stepping on, and the signal is transmitted from the MCU to the TV to display an updated score. Also, the MCU can activate the light controller to flash the indicators in a sequence. At the same time, operating a wireless controller to activate the console will transmit another signal either from the MCU to the console via the transceiver and the wireless controller or vice versa.

Claims

1. A mat for use with a video game console, a TV, and a wireless controller, comprising:

a foot-actuated zone including a plurality of weight sensitive pads disposed on the top surface, the pads having a mark thereon;

a plurality of indicators disposed around a track surrounding the foot-actuated zone;

a light controller;

transceiver means; and

a MCU (micro control unit) for communicating signals with the transceiver means,

wherein in response to stepping on one of the pads having a mark corresponding to a mark shown on the TV within a predetermined period of time, the pad is activated to enable the MCU to generate a first signal representing which pad the foot is stepping on, and the first signal is transmitted from the MCU to the TV to display an updated score;

wherein the MCU is adapted to activate the light controller for controlling brightness of each indicator and a lighting sequence of the indicators; and

wherein in response to operating the wireless controller to activate the video game console while stepping on the pad, a second signal is transmitted either from the MCU to the video game console via the transceiver means and the wireless controller or from the video game console to the MCU via the wireless controller and the transceiver means by wireless.

2. The mat of claim 1, wherein the light controller comprises a brightness control unit and a lighting sequence control unit.

3. The mat of claim 1, further comprising a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the indicators, the light controller, the transceiver means, and the MCU.

4. The mat of claim 2, further comprising an LCD (liquid crystal display) disposed on the track and spaced from the indicators, an audio sensor for sensing environmental sound and sending a sound level signal to the MCU, a thermometer for measuring temperatures and sending a temperature signal to the MCU, and a weight scale for measuring weight of a person standing on the mat and sending a weight signal to the MCU, and wherein the MCU is adapted to convert the weight signal, the temperature signal, and the sound level signal into digital representations to be shown the LCD, and wherein the MCU is adapted to activate the brightness control unit to control brightness of each indicator and activate the lighting sequence control unit to control the lighting sequence of the indicators in response to the weight signal, the temperature signal, and the sound level signal.

5. The mat of claim 1, wherein the mark of the pad is an arrow.

6. The mat of claim 5, wherein the arrow is an up, a down, a left, or a right arrow.

7. The mat for use with a video game console, a TV, and a wireless controller of claim 1, wherein the video game console is PS3 (PlayStation 3).

8. The mat for use with a video game console, a TV, and a wireless controller of claim 1, wherein the video game console is Wii.