Hybrid Separable Motion Controller

• US 20120302347A1
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nicholson, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• 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 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera

Abstract

A hybrid separable motion controller is provided. The controller includes a first portion including a first handle, a first medial connector defined along a length of the first handle, and a first geometric object defined at an end of the first handle. The controller further includes a second portion including a second handle, a second medial connector defined along a length of the second handle for coupling to the first medial connector, and a second geometric object defined at an end of the second handle. The first portion or the second portion includes a connection sensor for determining whether the controller is in a connected configuration or a disconnected configuration.

Claims

1. A controller for interacting with a video game, comprising:

a first portion including a first handle, a first medial connector defined along a length of the first handle, and a first geometric object defined at an end of the first handle;

a second portion including a second handle, a second medial connector defined along a length of the second handle for coupling to the first medial connector, and a second geometric object defined at an end of the second handle;

wherein the first portion or the second portion includes a connection sensor for determining whether the controller is in a connected configuration defined by joining of the first medial connector and the second medial connector, or a disconnected configuration defined by non-joining of the first medial connector and the second medial connector; and

wherein the first geometric object and the second geometric object are positioned adjacent to each other when the controller is in the connected configuration.

2. The controller of claim 1,

wherein the first portion includes a first communications interface;

wherein the second portion includes a second communications interface that links to the first communications interface when the controller is in a connected configuration to define a communications pathway between the first portion and the second portion.

3. The controller of claim 1,

wherein the first geometric object includes a first illumination source for illuminating the first geometric object;

wherein the second geometric object includes a second illumination source for illuminating the second geometric object.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the connection sensor triggers activation of the first and second illumination sources when the controller is determined to be in a disconnected configuration.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first portion and second portion each include at least one input mechanism selected from the following:

a button, a joystick, a directional pad, a trigger, a touchpad, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer.

6. The controller of claim 5, wherein the connection sensor triggers a change in an assignment of the input mechanism of the first portion or the second portion when a change between the connected configuration and the disconnected configuration is detected.

7. A method for interfacing with an interactive video game, comprising:

establishing communication between a console and a controller, the controller defined by a first portion and a second portion;

detecting a change in a configuration of the controller, the change in configuration defined by a change from a coupled configuration, wherein the first portion and second portion are coupled together, to a decoupled configuration, wherein the first portion and second portion are decoupled from each other;

in response to the detected change in configuration, activating independent tracking of a location of the first portion and a location of the second portion.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the tracking of the position of the first portion is defined by optical recognition of a first reference marker of the first portion;

and

wherein the tracking of the position of the second portion is defined by optical recognition of a second reference marker of the second portion.

9. The method of claim 7,

wherein the first portion and second portion each include at least one input mechanism for effecting a first function of the video game, the input mechanism selected from the following:

a button, a joystick, a directional pad, a trigger, a touchpad, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer; and

wherein the detection of the change in configuration triggers a change in an input configuration of the input mechanism of the first portion or the second portion, such that the input mechanism effects a second function of the video game.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the detection of the change in configuration triggers a change in a method of determining a roll value, a yaw value, or a pitch value of the controller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the change in the method of determining the roll value, yaw value, or pitch value of the controller is defined by switching from a method based on an internal accelerometer, gyroscope, or magnetometer of the controller, to a method based on the independent tracking of the location of the first portion and the location of the second portion.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the location of the first portion and the location of the second portion define a vector quantity, the vector quantity being applied to determine a function of the video game.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising,

detecting a second change in the configuration of the controller, the second change in configuration defined by a change from the decoupled configuration to the coupled configuration;

in response to the detected second change in configuration, deactivating independent tracking of the location of the first portion and the location of the second portion.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting the change in configuration triggers a change in an assignment of an input mechanism of the first portion or the second portion, the input mechanism selected from the group consisting of a button, a joystick, a directional pad, a trigger, a touchpad, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer.

15. A system for providing interactivity with a video game, comprising:

a console for rendering the video game on a display;

a controller for interfacing with the video game, the controller defined by a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being configured to be detachably coupled to each other;

wherein the video game defines a first input mapping for the controller when the controller is in a coupled configuration, such that the first portion and second portion are coupled to each other, and a second input mapping for the controller when the controller is in a decoupled configuration, such that the first portion and second portion are decoupled from each other.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second input mapping maps a tracked location of the first portion or the second portion to an input parameter of the video game.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the tracked location of the first portion or the second portion is defined by a tracked location of a visual reference marker of the first portion or the second portion.

18. The system of claim 15,

wherein the first portion and second portion each include at least one input mechanism selected from the following:

a button, a joystick, a directional pad, a trigger, a touchpad, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer; and

wherein the first input mapping maps the input mechanism to a first input parameter of the video game, and the second input mapping maps the input mechanism to a second input parameter of the video game.