ADJUSTING OPERATION OF TOUCH SENSITIVE PANEL OF GAME CONTROLLER

• US 20110118024A1
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: WALLEY, JOHN, LUKAS, BOB, SOBEL, DAVID A., RANGANATHAN, SUMANT, VORENKAMP, PIETER
• Application Number:
  US12/912,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20110118024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

Operating a game controller by setting initial operational parameters of at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller. The touch sensitive pad has a plurality of touch sensitive elements. Touch pad input is received from the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller. The touch pad input corresponds to a user'"'"'s touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements. The touch pad input is at least partially processed by processing circuitry of the game controller and transmitted to a game console via a communications interface of the game controller for processing. Upon meeting an operational parameter alteration condition, the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller are altered.

Claims

1. A method for operating a game controller, the method comprising:

setting initial operational parameters of at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the touch sensitive pad having a plurality of touch sensitive elements;

receiving touch pad input from the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the touch pad input corresponding to a user'"'"'s touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements;

at least partially processing the touch pad input by processing circuitry of the game controller;

transmitting the at least partially processed touch pad input to a game console via a communications interface of the game controller for processing; and

upon meeting an operational parameter alteration condition, altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller comprises altering a frequency of scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller comprises altering a voltage used for scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller comprises initiating a spread spectrum scanning frequency of scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller comprises altering a scanning pattern for scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements based upon detected capacitance of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller comprises altering a scanning rate for scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements when a lack of touches is detected to meet the operational parameter alteration condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller comprises disabling scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements when a lack of touches is detected to meet the operational parameter alteration condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller comprises:

disabling scanning of some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

continuing the scanning of other of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

9. The method of claim 1:

further comprising determining environmental operating conditions for the game controller; and

selecting the operational parameters based upon the environmental operating conditions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the environmental operating conditions are selected from the group consisting of:

air temperature;

game controller temperature;

touch sensitive pad temperature;

air humidity; and

air density.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter alteration condition is met upon expiration of an inactivity timer.

12. A game controller comprising:

a communications interface;

at least one touch sensitive pad having a plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and to the at least one touch sensitive pad, the processing circuitry is operable to;

set initial operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller;

receive touch pad input from the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the touch pad input corresponding to a user'"'"'s touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements;

at least partially process the touch pad input;

transmit the at least partially processed touch pad input to a game console via the communications interface; and

upon meeting an operational parameter alteration condition, alter the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller.

13. The game controller of claim 12, wherein in altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the processing circuitry is operable to alter a frequency of scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

14. The game controller of claim 12, wherein in altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the processing circuitry is operable to alter a voltage used for scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

15. The game controller of claim 12, wherein in altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the processing circuitry is operable to initiate a spread spectrum scanning frequency of scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

16. The game controller of claim 12, wherein in altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the processing circuitry is operable to alter a scanning pattern for scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements based upon detected capacitance of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

17. The game controller of claim 12, wherein in altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the processing circuitry is operable to alter a scanning rate for scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements when a lack of touches is detected to meet the operational parameter alteration condition.

18. The game controller of claim 12, wherein in altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the processing circuitry is operable to disable scanning of the plurality of touch sensitive elements when a lack of touches is detected to meet the operational parameter alteration condition.

19. The game controller of claim 12, wherein in altering the operational parameters of the at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller, the processing circuitry is operable to:

disable scanning of some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

continue the scanning of other of the plurality of touch sensitive elements.

20. The game controller of claim 12:

further comprising determining environmental operating conditions for the game controller; and

selecting the operational parameters based upon the environmental operating conditions.

21. The game controller of claim 20, wherein the environmental operating conditions are selected from the group consisting of:

air temperature;

game controller temperature;

touch sensitive pad temperature;

air humidity; and

air density.

22. The game controller of claim 12, wherein the operational parameter alteration condition is met upon expiration of an inactivity timer.

23. The game controller of claim 12, wherein the operational parameter alteration condition is met upon receipt of a direction from the game console via the communications interface that includes new operational parameters.