VIDEO-GAME CONTROLLER ASSEMBLIES DESIGNED FOR PROGRESSIVE CONTROL OF ACTIONABLE-OBJECTS DISPLAYED ON TOUCHSCREENS: EXPANDING THE METHOD AND BREADTH OF TOUCH-INPUT DELIVERY

• US 20120319989A1
• Filed: 09/29/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chris Argiro
• Original Assignee: Chris Argiro
• Inventors: Argiro, Chris
• Application Number:
  US13/249,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20120319989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• 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 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6072 of an input signal, e.g. pitch and rhythm extraction, voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 : Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 : Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

Remote-controller assemblies for touchscreens provide for the capture, translation and/or transmission (both directly, in a conductive channel, and indirectly) of the control input of a user—user motions, thematically—for corresponding capacitive discharge at a touchscreen. A remote motion-sensing input device plurality register a user motion input or input plurality for respective output to an intermediary-transceiver device for processing and transmission of a capacitive load to attached output ends connected to a touchscreen. The attached output ends act as a capacitive input in controlling an on-screen actionable object or object plurality seeking said capacitive input. Various specialty controllers are introduced as mats, musical instruments, steering-wheel assemblies, hockey sticks, golf clubs, baseball bats and gloves, bowling balls and DJ stations.

Claims

1. A touchscreen controller system, comprising:

a remote motion-sensing input device;

an intermediary device comprising a processor; and

one or more output ends connected to the intermediary device for affixing to a touch-screen device;

wherein the motion-sensing input device communicates input to the intermediary device;

wherein the intermediary device determines a touchscreen gesture corresponding to the communicated input and transmits a signal to the output ends causing the determined touchscreen gesture to be applied at the output ends.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary device further comprises a receiver for wirelessly receiving data from the motion-sensing input device, an internal capacitive source, and a capacitive manager for applying capacitance from the internal capacitive source to the output ends.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising conductive members connecting the motion-sensing input device and the intermediary device and connecting the intermediary device to the output ends.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device comprises a plurality of surface holes and internal ultrasonic anemometers for sensing the direction and speed of motion of the motion-sensing input device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device further comprises a second processor for processing data from sensors in the motion-sensing input device and determining corresponding input gesture information for communication to the intermediary device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the speed of a gesture is translated into a power level by the processor or a second processor in the motion-sensing input device, which is output at the output ends such that a corresponding power level on a power bar displayed on the touchscreen is selected.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device further comprises one or more buttons, wherein the touchscreen gesture is determined based on buttons pressed and motion sensed.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a base station for securing a touchscreen device, wherein the base station is configured to hold the touchscreen device in an upright position to ensure uninterrupted connection to the output ends and for easy viewing, to charge the touchscreen device, and to output the display of the touchscreen device to a connector for transmission to a separate display device.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an A/V output for connecting a touchscreen device to a separate display device and outputting the touchscreen device'"'"'s display to the separate display device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device further comprises a plurality of surface holes and a plurality of acoustical sensors distributed beneath the holes for sensing the direction and speed of motion of the motion-sensing input device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device further comprises a plurality of surface holes and a plurality of pivoting internal wind flaps configured to be engaged by wind from the surface holes, wherein the wind flaps are biased towards a central resting position and their deviation from this central position indicates the direction and speed of motion of the motion-sensing input device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device further comprises one or more suspended, movable magnets biased towards a central resting position and a plurality of sensors around the magnets that are triggered by an incidence of magnetic influence by the magnets, for determining the direction and speed of motion of the motion-sensing input device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the output ends comprise a thin film membrane comprising an actuating catalyst or agent, wherein the film experiences a chemical reaction where triggered by an infrared projection, causing a capacitive instance to be transferred to an attached touchscreen.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input controller comprises a mat having a plurality of distributed independent sensing modules of a conductive material that detect capacitive objects in contact with the modules, wherein the modules permit determination of the location, as well as direction and speed of motion, of a capacitive object on the mat.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device is in the shape of a shoe for wearing by a user, and comprises means for tracking movement of the motion-sensing input device from a position of rest as well as the time elapsed and distance traveled in between contacts of the motion-sensing input device with a surface.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device comprises motion capture balls configured to be worn by a user and video cameras configured for detecting the motion of a user wearing the motion capture balls.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device is in the shape of a guitar and comprises conductive strings and conductive, horizontally-divided frets, wherein the strings and frets conduct the capacitance of a user touching them, thereby indicating which strings and frets are being touched by a user.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the output ends comprise an internal capacitive source and receive commands wirelessly from the intermediate device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device comprises a conductive pedal comprising a scroll bar contacting a surface plate that comprises a plurality of isolated actuating elements, wherein the scroll bar is configured to slide along the surface plate as the pedal is depressed, moving from one actuating element to the next on the surface plate and conducting a user'"'"'s capacitance thereto, thereby indicating the position, speed and direction of movement of the pedal.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device comprises a stick or club having a conductive grip and bottom surface, whereby motion of the stick or club across the surface of a mat comprising a plurality of conductive sensing modules conducts a user'"'"'s capacitance to the sensing modules, allowing the motion of the stick or club across the surface of the mat to be determined.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device comprises a ball element having a soft conductive surface and an internal capacitance source supplying capacitance continuously to the surface, whereby motion of the ball across the surface of a mat comprising a plurality of conductive sensing modules conducts ball surface capacitance to the sensing modules, allowing the motion of the ball across the surface of the mat to be determined.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing input device comprises a turntable element matrix having a plurality of autonomous sensing elements, wherein the autonomous sensing elements sense a capacitive source in contact with them, tracking user motions on the surface of the turntable element matrix.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a rotatable, capacitance-friendly thin-film membrane over the turntable element matrix configured to rotate in accordance with a user'"'"'s motions for ease of movement while conveying capacitance from the user to the turntable element matrix below.

2. A system, comprising:

a remote motion-sensing input device;

one or more output ends configured for connection to a touchscreen and application of capacitance to the touchscreen; and

conductive connectors connecting the input device and output ends;

wherein the remote motion-sensing input device comprises a conductive outer surface and a mechanical selection mechanism,

wherein the mechanical selection mechanism completes a conductive path between the conductive outer surface and a conductive connector and attached output end based on a movement of the remote motion-sensing input device.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the motion-sensing input device comprises a conductive outer surface, one or more internal variable components, and a plurality of internal controller nodes around the variable components, wherein the variable components move when the motion-sensing input device is accelerated, forcing the variable components to contact one or more of the controller nodes and forming a conductive path between the conductive outer surface and the contacted controller nodes.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the internal variable components comprise ball bearings in guided channels.

27. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote motion-sensing input device comprising a rotatable portion and rotatable actuating element conductively connected to the conductive surface, wherein the rotatable actuating element rotates around a ring of isolated conductive elements, configured such that a user'"'"'s capacitance is conducted from the conductive surface to one of the isolated conductive elements at any given time based on the rotational position of the rotatable portion, wherein each isolated conductive element is connected to a separate conductive connector and output end.

28. A system, comprising:

a plurality of beam-casting elements;

a user input device comprising a light sensor;

a timer; and

a machine input interface;

wherein the machine input interface is configured to receive commands from a gaming device for activation of the timer and beam-casting elements;

wherein the beam-casting elements project a light beam to indicate the location of an object and the timer indicates the time until impact of the object;

wherein detection of the light beam by the light sensor at timer expiration indicates intersection of the object and the user input device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the user input device comprises further light sensors, wherein the light sensor detecting the light beam at timer expiration affects a determined result of the intersection.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the beam-casting elements are movable.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the user input device further comprises one or more buttons or motion-sensing devices, wherein a determined result of the intersection is affected by a button pressed by a user or motion made by a user.