GAME CONTROLLER AND GAME SYSTEM

• US 20150119146A1
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: IKEDA, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 9,227,138 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 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• 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 13/285 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2408 Touch-sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2447 Motion detector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• 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 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 : Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 : Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

A first control unit includes a first operation data generation section for generating first operation data in accordance with a motion of a first control unit body included in the first control unit. A second control unit includes a second operation data generation section for generating second operation data in accordance with a direction input operation performed by a player or a motion of a second control unit body included in the second control unit. Further, one of the first control unit and the second control unit includes a transmission section for transmitting the first operation data and the second operation data to a computer at a predetermined timing.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an oblong-shaped user-facing surface, and being structurally dimensioned and shaped to have a bottom surface of the housing configured to be cradled by a palm of a partially closed hand with at least one of a middle, a ring, and a pinkie finger of the hand wrapping around and encircling the bottom surface of the housing while at least a thumb of the hand can be used to provide input to the handheld electronic device by operating at least one input device arranged at the user-facing surface;

a button arranged at a lateral center of the user-facing surface and being operable by at least the thumb of the hand when the housing is cradled with at least one of the middle, the ring, and the pinkie finger of the hand wrapping around and encircling the bottom surface of the housing, wherein the button is configured to invoke a home function in response being operated; and

a touch-sensitive panel arranged at the user-facing surface and being operable by at least the thumb of the hand.

2. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an oblong-shaped top surface;

a home button positioned centrally, in a horizontal direction, on the oblong-shaped top surface;

a touch-sensitive panel located between the home button and a front surface of the housing; and

a processor configured to process input data in response to input made by at least the home button and/or the touch-sensitive panel.

3. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the home button is depressible by at least a thumb of a user holding the housing.

4. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the home button is recessed in relation to the top surface.

5. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the home button is arranged between the touch-sensitive panel and a rear end of the housing, the rear end being closer in proximity to a user holding the housing than an oppositely-located front end of the housing.

6. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising two additional buttons arranged laterally to each side of the home button on the top surface.

7. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the top surface is shaped substantially as an oblong rectangle.

8. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the housing is configured to be held in a hand of a user.

9. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the home button is arranged to be operable by at least a thumb of a hand of a user holding the housing.

10. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the touch-sensitive panel is arranged to be operable by at least a thumb of a hand of a user holding the housing.

11. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, wherein both the touch-sensitive panel and the home button are arranged to be operable by at least a thumb of a hand of a user holding the housing.

12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising a wireless transceiver.

13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the wireless transceiver configured to execute short-distance wireless communication.

14. The handheld electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the wireless transceiver including a Bluetooth wireless transceiver.

15. The handheld electronic device according to claim 12, further comprising an output device configured to provide a user-detectable output in response to receiving a signal via the wireless transceiver.

16. The handheld electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the output device includes a vibrational transducer configured to cause the handheld electronic device to vibrate based upon a signal received by the wireless transceiver.

17. The handheld electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the output device includes an illuminating module configured to illuminate at least a portion of the top surface based upon a signal received via the wireless transceiver.

18. The handheld electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the output device includes an audio output device configured to cause the handheld electronic device to output audio based upon a signal received by the wireless transceiver.

19. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising a position, attitude or orientation sensor.

20. The handheld electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the position, attitude or orientation sensor includes an inertial sensor.

21. The handheld electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the inertial sensor comprises an accelerometer.

22. The handheld electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the position, attitude, or orientation sensor includes a gyro sensor.

23. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising an on/off button configured to invoke at least on/off power functionality.

24. The handheld electronic device according to claim 23, wherein the on/off button is located near a front portion of the housing.

25. The handheld electronic device according to claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to receive and process signals from the on/off button.

26. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising a connector located near a rear portion of the housing, the connector configured to connect the handheld electronic device to another device.

27. The handheld electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising at least one image sensor.

28. The handheld electronic device according to claim 27, wherein the image sensor is located near a front portion of the housing of the handheld electronic device.

29. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver;

a user-facing surface shaped substantially as an oblong rectangle;

a touch-sensitive panel located on the user-facing surface;

a vibration device configured to provide vibration-feedback by actuating the handheld electronic device based upon a signal received by the wireless transceiver; and

a button configured to invoke a home function in response to an input from a user holding the handheld electronic device, the button being arranged centrally at the user-facing surface between two long edges of the rectangle.

30. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an oblong-shaped top surface;

a touch-sensitive input device located on the oblong-shaped top surface of the housing;

a home button centrally located in a horizontal direction on the oblong-shaped top surface below the touch-sensitive input device;

an inertial sensor configured to detect data related to aspects of at least one of position, attitude and orientation of the handheld electronic device; and

a microprocessor operatively coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the home button, and the inertial sensor, the microprocessor configured to process input signals provided from the touch-sensitive input device, the home button, and the inertial sensor.