PROGRAMMABLE GAME-BASED HAPTIC ENABLED GUN CONTROLLER

• US 20170065881A1
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Bartel, Hendrick, Grant, Danny, Ramsay, Erin, Modarres, Ali, Birnbaum, David, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Heubel, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US15/356,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20170065881A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• 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 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• 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 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/06 Recoil simulators

Abstract

Various systems, game controllers, and methods for simulating various objects such as weapons are provided. For example, a game controller may include a trigger, a processor within the body that receives a trigger signal when the trigger is activated by the user. The processor may communicate with a computer running a software program such as a gaming application, and an actuator coupled to the trigger, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the trigger in response to receiving a control signal from the processor. The game controller may simulate a gun and generate a recoil effect. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by impacting a moving mass from a discharge end of the gun to a handle end of the gun. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by using a body part of a user as a tether.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A game controller comprising:

a body having a handle adapted to be grasped by a user;

a trigger coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user'"'"'s finger;

a directional-pad control coupled to the body, the directional-pad control adapted to be operated by the user;

a processor within the body and configured to receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated by the user and to receive a pad signal from the directional-pad control, the processor configured to communicate with a computer running a software program; and

an actuator coupled to the body, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the body in response to receiving a control signal from the processor.

29. The game controller of claim 28, further comprising a position sensor coupled to the body, the position sensor configured to track the position and/or orientation of the controller and provide sensor signals to the processor and/or the computer regarding the position of the controller.

30. The game controller of claim 29, wherein the position sensor is an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

31. The game controller of claim 29, wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of a character of the user in the software program.

32. The game controller of claim 29, wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of an object held by a character of the user in the software program.

33. The game controller of claim 28, wherein the directional-pad control is configured to operate various features during game play.

34. The game controller of claim 28, further comprising a touch sensor configured to track how the user is holding the controller, wherein the touch sensor is further configured to communicate touch sensing information to the computer.

35. The game controller of claim 34, wherein the touch sensor is configured to track where and/or with how many hands the user is holding the controller.

36. A game controller comprising:

a body having a handle adapted to be grasped by a user;

a trigger coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user'"'"'s finger;

a processor within the body and configured to receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated by the user and to receive a pad signal from the directional-pad control, the processor configured to communicate with a computer running a software program; and

a trigger actuator coupled to the trigger, the trigger actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the trigger in response to receiving a control signal from the processor, wherein the trigger actuator is configured to output a resistive force toward a neutral position of the trigger.

37. The game controller of claim 36, wherein the resistive force is varied depending on the control signal received from the processor.

38. The game controller of claim 37, wherein the resistive force is varied based on selections made by the user.

39. The game controller of claim 36, further comprising a body actuator coupled to the body, wherein the body actuator is configured to output a haptic effect to at least a portion of the body in response to receiving a control signal from the processor

40. A game system comprising:

a computer configured to operate a software program; and

a controller including;

a body having a handle adapted to be grasped by a user,

a trigger coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user'"'"'s finger,

a directional-pad control coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user,

a processor within the body and configured to receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated by the user and to receive a pad signal from the directional-pad control, the processor configured to communicate with the computer, and

an actuator coupled to the body, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the body in response to receiving a control signal from the processor.

41. The game controller of claim 40, further comprising a position sensor coupled to the body, the position sensor configured to track the position and/or orientation of the controller and provide sensor signals to the processor and/or the computer regarding the position of the controller.

42. The game controller of claim 41, wherein the position sensor is an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

43. The game controller of claim 41, wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of a character of the user in the software program.

44. The game controller of claim 41, wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of an object held by a character of the user in the software program.

45. The game controller of claim 40, wherein the directional-pad control is configured to operate various features during game play.

46. The game controller of claim 40, further comprising a touch sensor configured to track how the user is holding the controller, wherein the touch sensor is further configured to communicate touch sensing information to the computer.

47. The game controller of claim 46, wherein the touch sensor is configured to track where and/or with how many hands the user is holding the controller.