Controller Input for Interactive Gaming System

• US 20140066206A1
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Playhouse Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Playhouse Entertainment Incorporated
• Inventors: Gale, Brett
• Application Number:
  US14/018,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066206A1
• 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 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles

Abstract

A control system for an interactive gaming system has a pair of controller assemblies for being supported in respective hands of the game participant. Each controller assembly includes a first housing locating motion tracking circuitry therein, a second housing locating navigation circuitry therein having a finger actuated navigation input, and a coupling housing arranged to selectively couple the first and second housings together so as to remain readily separable from one another.

Claims

1. A control system for use by a respective game participant in an interactive gaming system in which the interactive gaming system comprises a gaming console arranged to execute a gaming program to generate and display computer animated effects in a virtual play environment and to receive commands from the control system to control interaction of the respective game participant with the virtual play environment, the control system comprising at least one controller assembly arranged to be supported by a respective single hand of the game participant, said at least one controller assembly comprising:

motion tracking circuitry including at least one acceleration force sensor so as to be arranged to track motion of the controller assembly including tracking motion in three dimensional space and rotational motion and being arranged to generate a corresponding motion input signal;

navigation circuitry including a finger actuated navigation input arranged to receive directional input in two dimensions and being arranged to generate a corresponding navigation input signal; and

auxiliary circuitry including a plurality of finger actuated auxiliary switches arranged to generate respective auxiliary input signals.

2. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one controller assembly includes a first controller assembly arranged to be supported entirely by a first hand of the game participant and a second controller assembly arranged to be supported entirely by a second hand of the same game participant such that each of the first and second controller assemblies includes respective motion tracking circuitry, navigation circuitry, and auxiliary circuitry and such that all of the circuitry of both the first and second controller assemblies are associated with interaction of a single game participant with the virtual play environment.

3. The control system according to claim 1 wherein the finger actuated navigation input comprises a joystick, a D-pad, or both.

4. The control system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the auxiliary switches of said at least one controller assembly comprises a pressure sensitive trigger switch.

5. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one controller assembly comprises:

a first housing supporting the motion tracking circuitry therein;

a second housing independent of the first housing and supporting the navigation circuitry therein; and

a coupling assembly arranged to couple the first and second housings together such that the first and second housings are selectively separable from one another.

6. The control system according to claim 5 wherein at least one of the auxiliary switches on the first housing of said at least one controller assembly comprises a pressure sensitive trigger switch.

7. The control system according to claim 5 wherein each of the first and second housings of said at least one controller assembly are elongate in a longitudinal direction and wherein the coupling assembly of said at least one controller assembly couples the first and second housings said at least one controller assembly to one another such that the housings are spaced apart and such that the longitudinal directions are parallel to one another.

8. The control system according to claim 7 wherein the coupling assembly of said at least one controller assembly couples the first and second housings of said at least one controller assembly spaced apart from one another such that the fingers of the hand of the game participant are arranged to be received between the first and second housings when said hand of the game participant is gripped about the first housing.

9. The control system according to claim 5 wherein the first housing includes at least one light source thereon which is identifiable by a motion tracking system of the gaming system and wherein the coupling assembly includes at least one auxiliary light supported thereon which is identifiable by the motion tracking system of the gaming system similarly to said at least one light source.

10. The control system according to claim 1 in combination with an auxiliary control scheme which is executable by the gaming console within the gaming program so as to convert the input signals from said at least one controller assembly to commands which control interaction of the associated game participant associated with said at least one controller assembly, wherein the auxiliary control scheme corresponds to each game participant including only a single controller assembly associated therewith, the auxiliary control scheme being arranged such that the navigation input signal is converted to game participant movement commands which navigate movement of a virtual representation of the game participant within the virtual play environment.

11. The control system according to claim 1 in combination with an auxiliary control scheme which is executable by the gaming console within the gaming program so as to convert the input signals from said at least one controller assembly to commands which control interaction of the associated game participant associated with said at least one controller assembly, wherein the auxiliary control scheme corresponds to each game participant including a first controller assembly and a second controller assembly associated therewith, the auxiliary control scheme being arranged such that the navigation input signal of the first controller assembly is converted to game participant movement commands which navigate movement of a virtual representation of the game participant within the virtual play environment and the navigation input signal of the second controller assembly is converted to camera movement commands which navigate a perspective of virtual play environment arranged to be displayed to the game participant.

12. The control system according to claim 11 wherein the control scheme is arranged such that the motion input signal of the first controller assembly is converted to game participant arm motion commands which control movement of a virtual representation of a first arm of the game participant in the virtual play environment and such that the motion input signal of the second controller assembly is converted to game participant arm motion commands which control movement of a virtual representation of a second arm of the game participant in the virtual play environment.

13. The control system according to claim 12 wherein the auxiliary control scheme is arranged such that the game participant arm motion commands comprise hand and arm motion commands representing a 1 to 1 motion control ratio between movement of the hands and arms of the game participant and resulting movement of a virtual representation of hands and arms of the game participant in the virtual play environment.

14. The control system according to claim 10 for use a gaming program including a default control scheme and a default control assembly arranged to generate commands for controlling interaction of a respective game participant with the virtual play environment according to the default control scheme of the gaming program, wherein the auxiliary control scheme is arranged to only be executable within the gaming program by the gaming console in response to an activation code.

15. The control system according to claim 14 wherein the activation code comprises a unique code associated with said at least one controller assembly.

16. The control system according to claim 14 in combination with the gaming program wherein the activation code is arranged to be storable on the gaming console and wherein the gaming program includes an authorization algorithm arranged to determine if the activation code is stored on the gaming console upon each activation of the gaming program, the authorization algorithm being further arranged to activate the auxiliary control scheme in response to the activation code being stored on the gaming console.

17. The control system according to claim 16 wherein the authorization algorithm is arranged to execute the gaming program with the default control scheme being enabled and the auxiliary control scheme being disabled in response to an absence of an activation code being stored on the gaming console.

18. The control system according to claim 16 wherein the authorization algorithm is further arranged to prompt the gaming participant to purchase an activation code through an online store in response to determination that there is no activation code stored on the gaming console.

19. A gaming program arranged for execution on a gaming console to generate and display computer animated effects in a virtual play environment and to receive commands from any one of a plurality of peripheral control devices of different configuration from one another to control interaction of a respective game participants with the virtual play environment, the gaming program comprising:

a control scheme associated with each of the plurality of peripheral control devices in which the control scheme defines a conversion of the input signals from the respective peripheral control device to the commands which control the interaction of the associated game participant with the virtual play environment, the control schemes including;

a default control scheme arranged to generate commands which control interaction of the game participant with the virtual play environment using a default peripheral control device of the gaming console; and

at least one auxiliary control scheme arranged to generate commands which control interaction of the game participant with the virtual play environment using an auxiliary peripheral control device in place of the default peripheral control device of the gaming console;

said at least one auxiliary control scheme being arranged to only be executable by the gaming console within the gaming program in response to an activation code.

20. The gaming program according to claim 19 wherein the activation code is arranged to be storable on the gaming console and wherein the gaming program further comprises an authorization algorithm arranged to determine if the activation code is stored on the gaming console upon each execution of the gaming program on the gaming console, the authorization algorithm being further arranged to activate the auxiliary control scheme in response to the activation code being stored on the gaming console.