INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD, ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20170108942A1
• Filed: 10/10/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bangdiwala, Rohan Pankaj
• Application Number:
  US15/289,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20170108942A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

An input device for use with a processing apparatus, the input device comprising a transmitter operable to transmit user inputs to the processing apparatus, a receiver operable to receive control signalling from the processing apparatus, and a torque generating unit operable to generate torque responsive to the control signalling so as to increase the apparent mass of the input device when moved by a user.

Claims

1. An input device for use with a processing apparatus, the input device comprising:

a transmitter operable to transmit user inputs to the processing apparatus;

a receiver operable to receive control signalling from the processing apparatus; and

a torque generating unit operable to generate torque responsive to the control signalling so as to increase the apparent mass of the input device when moved by a user.

2. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the torque generating unit comprises at least one rotary actuator.

3. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the user inputs are determined by detected motion.

4. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the signal is generated in dependence upon content for display on a display associated with the processing apparatus.

5. An input device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of torque generating units are provided at different locations in the input device.

6. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the control signalling corresponds to the generation of a torque at a time later than that at which the control signalling is received by the input device.

7. An input device according to claim 1, comprising a charger operable to charge a battery by generating energy from the spinning down of the torque generating unit.

8. An input device according to claim 1, comprising a converter operable to convert a received digital signal into an analogue signal, and wherein the control signalling is in the form of a digital signal.

9. An entertainment device comprising:

a control signalling generator operable to generate control signalling indicating an amount of torque;

a transmitter operable to transmit the control signalling to an input device comprising a torque generating unit operable to generate torque responsive to the control signalling so as to increase the apparent mass of the input device when moved by a user.

10. An entertainment device according to claim 9, comprising a torque amount information generator operable to generate information about the amount of torque that should be provided to an input device associated with the entertainment device.

11. An entertainment device according to claim 9, in which the torque amount information generator generates information about the amount of torque responsive to one or more selected from the list consisting of:

i. a value stored in association with a virtual object; and

ii. a value calculated using simulated physics of a virtual environment.

12. An entertainment device according to claim 9, wherein the control signalling corresponds to the generation of a torque at a time later than that at which the control signalling is received by the input device.

13. A method of operating an input device, the method comprising:

receiving control signalling from a processing apparatus; and

generating a torque in the input device responsive to the control signalling so as to increase the apparent mass of the input device when moved by a user.

14. A method of controlling an input device, comprising the steps of:

obtaining information about the amount of torque to generate in a torque generating unit of the input device;

generating control signalling indicating the amount of torque; and

transmitting the control signalling to the input device.

15. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions adapted to cause a computer system to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving control signalling from a processing apparatus; and

generating a torque in the input device responsive to the control signalling so as to increase the apparent mass of the input device when moved by a user.

16. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions adapted to cause a computer system to perform a method comprising the steps of:

obtaining information about the amount of torque to generate in a torque generating unit of the input device;

generating control signalling indicating the amount of torque; and

transmitting the control signalling to the input device.