Secondary controller for emulating a console controller

• US 20100075756A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, Adam, Hardee, Donna, Hardee, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US12/234,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20100075756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface

Abstract

An apparatus for emulating a console controller. The apparatus includes a console connector of a secondary controller, an input interface, and an output interface. The console connector of the secondary controller connects the secondary controller to a console controller. The secondary controller connects to a gaming console through the console controller. The input interface couples to the console connector. The input interface generates an input signal in response to a user input at the secondary controller. The output interface couples to the input interface. The output interface receives the input signal from the input interface, generates an output signal from the input signal, and sends the output signal to the gaming console through the console controller.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a console connector of a secondary controller to connect the secondary controller to a console controller, wherein the secondary controller is configured to connect to a gaming console through the console controller;

an input interface coupled to the console connector, the input interface to generate an input signal in response to a user input at the secondary controller; and

an output interface coupled to the input interface, the output interface to receive the input signal from the input interface, to generate an output signal from the input signal, and to send the output signal to the gaming console through the console controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a profile switch coupled to the output interface, the profile switch to select a first profile stored in a memory device, to generate a first profile signal based on the first profile, and to send the first profile signal to the output interface, wherein the first profile signal indicates a first mapping of the output signal to a first output line, wherein the output interface is further configured to send the output signal to the console controller over the first output line according to the first mapping of the first profile.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the profile switch is further configured to switch on demand from the first profile to a second profile stored in the memory device, to generate a second profile signal based on the second profile, and to send the second profile signal to the output interface, wherein the second profile signal indicates a second mapping of the output signal to a second output line, wherein the output interface is further configured to send the output signal to the console controller over the second output line according to the second mapping of the second profile.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the input interface comprises a direction input interface to generate a direction input signal, wherein the output interface comprises a microcontroller, the microcontroller to receive the direction input signal, to generate a direction output signal from the direction input signal that is compatible with a console controller signal type, and to send the direction output signal to the gaming console through the console controller, wherein the direction input and output signals each comprise an X-Y signal to indicate a movement in an X-Y axis as well as a velocity signal to indicate a speed at which the movement in the X-Y axis occurs.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an output mode selector to select between a digital output mode and an analog output mode and to generate a control signal to indicate an output mode selection.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a multiplexor coupled to the output interface and the output mode selector, the multiplexor to implement the output mode selection based on the control signal from the output mode selector, to multiplex a plurality of output signals from the output interface, and to output a multiplex output signal based on the output mode selection.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter coupled between the multiplexor and the output interface, wherein the direction output signal comprises a digital output signal, the digital-to-analog converter to convert the digital output signal to an analog output signal and to send the analog output signal to the multiplexor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the input interface comprises a trigger input interface to generate a trigger input signal, wherein the output interface comprises a trigger switch, the trigger switch to receive the trigger input signal, to map the trigger input signal to the output signal of the trigger switch as a trigger output signal, and to send the trigger output signal to the gaming console through the console controller, wherein the trigger input and output signals each indicate an ON state or an OFF state.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a hardware switch coupled between the trigger switch and the console connector and coupled to the output mode selector, the hardware switch to implement the output mode selection based on the control signal from the output mode selector, to receive an analog trigger input signal from the trigger switch, and to output a corresponding analog trigger output signal based on the output mode selection.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the hardware switch is further configured to receive an analog trigger input signal from the trigger switch, to switch the analog trigger input signal to a digital trigger output signal, and to output the digital output trigger signal based on the output mode selection.

11. A system comprising:

a console controller to connect to a gaming console and to receive an emulation signal from a secondary controller, wherein the emulation signal is compatible with a signal type of the console controller;

a console connector to connect the secondary controller to the console controller, wherein the console controller connects the secondary controller to the gaming console; and

a controller pass-thru device to replace the emulation signal from the secondary controller with a response signal and to send the response signal to the gaming console, wherein the gaming console interprets the response signal as a response to an input by a user on the console controller.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller pass-thru device is further configured to receive a feedback signal from the gaming console and to send the feedback signal through the console controller to the secondary controller.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a controller selector coupled to the controller pass-thru device, the controller selector to select among a plurality of operating modes, wherein the plurality of operating modes comprises a first operating mode for singular operation of the secondary controller, in which user input functions of the console controller are disabled, a second operation mode for singular operation of the console controller, in which user input functions of the secondary controller are disabled, and a third operating mode for mutual operation of the console controller and the secondary controller.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller selector is further configured to implement a priority between a signal generated by the console controller and the emulation signal from the secondary controller, wherein the controller pass-thru device is further configured to send the emulation signal to the gaming console and to discard the signal type of the console controller.

15. A method comprising:

connecting a secondary controller to a console controller, wherein the secondary controller connects to a gaming console through the console controller;

generating an input signal at the secondary controller;

generating an output signal from the input signal; and

sending the output signal from the secondary controller through the console controller to the gaming console.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting a first profile stored in a memory device;

generating a first profile signal based on the first profile;

sending the first profile signal to an output interface, wherein the first profile signal indicates a first mapping of the output signal to a first output line; and

sending the output signal to the console controller over the first output line according to the first mapping of the first profile.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

switching on demand from the first profile to a second profile stored in the memory device;

generating a second profile signal based on the second profile;

sending the second profile signal to the output interface, wherein the second profile signal indicates a second mapping of the output signal to a second output line; and

sending the output signal to the console controller over the second output line according to the second profile.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating a direction input signal and a trigger input signal, wherein the input signal comprises the direction and the trigger input signals;

generating a direction output signal from the direction input signal that is compatible with a console controller signal type;

mapping the trigger input signal to an output of the trigger switch as a trigger output signal;

sending the direction output signal over a direction output line to the gaming console through the console controller, wherein the direction input and output signals each comprise an X-Y signal to indicate a movement in an X-Y axis as well as a velocity signal to indicate a speed at which the movement in the X-Y axis occurs; and

sending the trigger output signal over a trigger output line to the gaming console through the console controller, wherein the trigger input and output signals each indicate an ON state or an OFF state.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting an analog output mode;

generating a control signal to indicate the analog output mode;

converting a digital direction output signal to an analog direction output signal;

multiplexing a plurality of direction output signals from a microcontroller to a console connector according to the analog output mode; and

passing an analog trigger input signal from a trigger switch to the console connector.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

selecting a digital output mode;

generating a control signal to indicate the digital output mode;

passing a digital direction output signal to a multiplexor;

multiplexing a plurality of direction output signals from the microcontroller to the console connector according to the digital output mode;

switching an analog trigger input signal from a trigger switch to a digital trigger output signal; and

sending the digital trigger output signal to the console connector.