MULTI-POSITIONAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL CONTROLLER

• US 20100304868A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zalewski, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,961,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/38
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed to control interactivity with a video gaming system. The system includes a game console and a controller that is configured to be held in a plurality of handhold orientations. The controller further includes a handle that extends between a first end and a second end along a length axis and an input feature disposed at the first end. The input feature includes sensors to detect manipulations that cause a relative movement between the input feature and the handle. The manipulations that are detected include torque applied to the input feature about the length axis. Where the detected manipulation are relayed to the game console where the game console correlates the detected manipulation into control of the video game. The gaming system can be primarily executed through a local game console, or the game console (or computing device), can communicate to remote servers, over the internet, to processes primary execution. And, the processing can be for one or more users connected to interactive applications, in a multi-user gaming, communication and/or interactive application.

Claims

1. A system to control a video game, comprising:

a game client;

a controller being configured to be held in a plurality of handhold orientations, the controller further including;

a handle that extends between a first end and a second end along a length axis; and

an input feature disposed at the first end, the input feature including sensors to measure manipulations that cause a relative movement between the input feature and the handle, the manipulations including torque applied to the input feature about the length axis;

the detected manipulation being transmitted to the game client where the game client correlates the detected manipulation into control of the video game.

2. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the manipulations further include tensile force applied to the input feature along the length axis.

3. A system as described in claim 2, wherein the manipulations include compression force applied to the input feature along the length axis.

4. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the controller further includes sensors to automatically determine which of the plurality of handhold orientations the controller is operating.

5. A system as described in claim 4, wherein the controller functions without a base surface.

6. A system as described in claim 5, wherein one-handed operation of the controller manipulates the input feature relative to the handle.

7. A system as described in claim 5, wherein two-handed operation of the controller manipulates the input feature relative to the handle.

8. A system as described in claim 4, wherein the controller functions with a base surface, the input feature being in contact with the base surface and the handle being manipulated relative to the base surface.

9. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the input feature includes a shaft, the shaft further including a shaft encoder to detect torque applied to the input feature.

10. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the sensors associated with the input feature includes a potentiometer configured to detect torque applied to the input feature.

11. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the game client either primarily processes instructions locally or on a server connected to the internet.

12. A method to provide input to a game console, comprising:

activating a controller for the game console, the controller detecting input through a plurality of controller interfaces, the plurality of controller interfaces enabling operation of the controller in a variety of handhold orientations, one of the plurality of controller interfaces detecting torque applied to an input feature;

detecting an orientation of the controller, the orientation determining which plurality of controller interfaces is operational;

initiating communications between the controller and the game console;

receiving a state of the console;

mapping functions of controller interfaces based on the received state of the console and the detected orientation of the controller;

receiving input through the mapped controller interfaces;

transmitting the received input to the game console; and

correlating the received input to control of a computer program being executed through the game console.

13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein detecting tensile force applied to the input feature is another of the plurality of controller interfaces.

14. A method as described in claim 13, wherein detecting compression force applied to the input feature is another of the plurality of controller interface.

15. A method as described in claim 14, wherein the controller is manipulated using a single hand.

16. A method as described in claim 14, wherein the controller is manipulated using two hands.

17. A method as described in claim 12, wherein execution through the game console is either providing primary execution locally at the game console, or at a gaming server that communicates processed instructions to the game console for display and local control.

18. An interactive game console control system, comprising:

a game console having a processor to execute program instructions, the game console further having console communications hardware; and

a controller being paired with the game console, the controller having a handle that extends between a first end and a second end along a length axis, the controller further having an input feature being proximate to the first end of the handle, the input feature capable of being moved relative to the handle, the controller including sensors to detect torque applied to the input feature about the length axis, the controller further including controller communications hardware,

wherein the controller communications hardware is configured to transmit sensor data related to movement of the input feature relative to the handle to console communications hardware, where the processor correlates the received sensor data to interaction with the program instructions being executed.

19. The interactive game console control system of claim 18, wherein the input feature is substantially spherical.

20. The interactive game console control system of claim 18, wherein the torque is processed by the game console and adjusted based on current interactive activity being executed by the program instructions.

21. The interactive game console control system of claim 18, wherein the adjusting being controlled by a gearing, the gearing being triggerable by one of the program instructions, user input, or a combination of the program instructions, the user input and a state of interaction activity being executed by the program instructions.

22. The interactive game console control system of claim 18, further including:

a game server, the game server acting as a primary executing processor, and the game console acting as a secondary executing processor.

23. The interactive game console control system of claim 18, further including a game server, the game server acting as a secondary executing processor, and the game console acting as a primary executing processor.