Bionic apparatus for controlling television games

• US 4,149,716 A
• Filed: 06/24/1977
• Issued: 04/17/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atari Incorporated (Infogrames Entertainment SA)
• Original Assignee: James D. Scudder
• Inventors: Scudder, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hum, Vance Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/809,621
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 35/22 R, 128/2.08, 128/2.06 R, 128/2.06 E, 128/2.1 R, 128/2.1 B, 128/2.1 E, 128/2.1 M, 128/2.1 Z, 273/1 E, 273/85 G, 273/DIG. 28
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• 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: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling electrically operated television games utilizing minute electric signals generated by the firing of neuron impulses in a selected portion of the human body. The minute electric impulses generated by the firing of neurons in the nerve tissue of the human body when a deliberate muscular response is demanded by the human brain are detected by electrodes contacting the exterior skin of the human body in the vicinity of a muscle, amplified, filtered or extraneous signals, suitably conditioned and utilized to control a selected display on a video display screen in response to the voluntarily generated neuron-firing electrical signals.

Claims

1. Video game input apparatus for controlling and introducing by electrical connections electric signal input into prior art electric circuitry "game chips", the electric signal output of said "game chips" producing video display action on a television set video screen according to the interior electric circuitry of said "game chips" when electrically connected to said television set, by said input apparatus detecting and electrically processing neuron-firing electric impulses generated in human tissue by voluntary direction to the said human tissue by the brain of the operator, comprising:

means for detecting said neuron-firing electric impulses generated in human tissue;

means for amplifying the detected electric impulses;

low pass filter means, having a cut-off frequency of between 150 and 200 hertz, for filtering the amplified impulses and for transmitting those components of the amplified pulses which are lower in frequency than the cut-off frequency, said low pass filter means comprising capacitive coupling means for blocking transmission of the direct current component of said amplified impulses;

rectifier means for rectifying the filtered impulses;

integrator means, responsive to the output of said rectifier means, for supplying a first output signal which varies with the time integral of the output of said rectifier;

comparator means, having hysteresis properties, responsive to said first output signal for supplying a second output signal, said second output signal having either a high or low state, depending upon whether the first output signal is, respectively, increasing or decreasing for a time period and at a rate sufficient in combination to overcome the hysteresis properties;

means for selectively connecting said first output signal and said second output signal to the said "game chips" as an electrical input thereto;

the electrical output of said "game chips" being electrically connected to the electric input terminals of said television set;

whereby the said video display action on said television set video screen is controlled, in accordance with the selective connection of said first and second output signals to said "game chips" and in accordance with the internal game rules of said "game chip", by the voluntary and involuntary generation of neuron-firing of said electric impulses by said operator.