OPERATING DEVICE AND CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20190308097A1
• Filed: 02/10/2017
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamano, Ikuo, Nakagawa, Yusuke, Hirata, Shinichi, Machida, Yuichi, Nishimaki, Yoichi
• Granted Patent: US 10,881,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• 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 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• 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 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• 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: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• 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

A control system includes a console device having an operating button to be operated by a user and a vibrating mechanism for vibrating the operating button, and a control device for controlling vibrations produced by the vibrating mechanism.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

a console device having

an operating button to be operated by a user, and

a vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate said operating button; and

a control device configured to control vibrations produced by said vibrating mechanism.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said vibrating mechanism vibrates said operating button along a direction in which the user operates said operating button.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control device changes control contents for said vibrating mechanism depending on an amount of operation of said operating button.

4. The control system according to claim 3, wherein said control device changes control contents for said vibrating mechanism when the amount of operation of said operating button is a maximally operable amount.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said console device further has a proximity sensor configured to detect when the body of the user approaches a surface of said operating button.

6. The control system according to claim 5, wherein said control device determines a timing to cause said vibrating mechanism to produce vibrations depending on a detected result from said proximity sensor.

7. The control system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said control device receives the detected result from said proximity sensor and the amount of operation of said operating button as information representing contents of operation by the user on said operating button.

8. The control system according to claim 7, wherein said control device carries out a predetermined processing sequence if the user brings a finger thereof into contact with the surface of said operating button and does not operate said operating button.

9. The control system according to claim 7, wherein said control device receives a value calculated based on both distance, detected by said proximity sensor, from the surface of said operating button to a finger of the user and the amount of operation of said operating button, as an input value of operation of the user.

10. The control system according to claim 1,

wherein said console device further has a main body vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate a main body of said console device.

11. The control system according to claim 10, wherein said control device identifies which one of left and right hands the user uses the console device with, and changes control contents for said main body vibrating mechanism depending on an identified result.

12. The control system according to claim 10, comprising:

two console devices which the user uses with respective left and right hands thereof,

wherein said control device determines whether said two console devices are contacting each other or not, and, if said two console devices are contacting each other, changes control contents for said main body vibrating mechanism depending on orientations of said two console devices that are contacting each other.

13. The control system according to claim 1, wherein

said console device further has a force sense presenting device configured to, separate from said vibrating mechanism, perform positional control on said operating button and present a force sense to the user who is operating said operating button, and

said control device is responsive to a single vibration control request for actuating both said vibrating mechanism and said force sense presenting device based on contents of said vibration control request.

14. A console device comprising:

an operating button to be operated by a user; and

a vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate said operating button.

15. A control device for controlling a console device including an operating button to be operated by a user, and a vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate said operating button, comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire an amount of operation of said operating button; and

a controller configured to vibrate said vibrating mechanism according to control contents depending on the amount of operation of said operating button.

16. A control method for controlling a console device including an operating button to be operated by a user, and a vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate said operating button, comprising:

acquiring an amount of operation of said operating button; and

vibrating said vibrating mechanism according to control contents depending on the amount of operation of said operating button.

17. A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium containing a program for controlling a console device including an operating button to be operated by a user, and a vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate said operating button, said program when executed by a computer, causing the computer to carry out actions, comprising:

acquiring an amount of operation of said operating button; and

vibrating said vibrating mechanism according to control contents depending on the amount of operation of said operating button.