Video game/flight simulator controller with single analog input to multiple discrete inputs

• US 5,459,487 A
• Filed: 11/15/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: U.S. Bancorp Republic Commercial Finance, Inc. (US Bancorp)
• Original Assignee: ThrustMaster, Inc. (Guillemot Corporation SA)
• Inventors: Bouton, Frank M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US08/340,055
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 338/68, 338/92, 273/438
• US Class Current: 463/37
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/0474 characterised by means converting mechanical movement into electric signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0653 with centralised address assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/42 Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A video game controller, for inputting command signals to a game port having a finite number of discrete and analog signal inputs, provides a plurality of additional discrete outputs multiplexed on one of the analog outputs. This controller has a plurality of parallel switches each coupled to the one analog output via a different value resistance. Circuitry in the game board in combination with programming in the video game or simulation software recognizes discrete voltage levels input from the controller via the one analog port as different discrete commands. This enables the range of commands that can be input from a video game controller to be substantially increased without making any change to the base computer hardware.

Claims

1. A controller for a personal computer having a game board with a finite number of inputs for receiving and inputting to the computer a first limited number of analog input signals and a second limited number of discrete input signals, the controller comprising:

a number of analog output signal lines not exceeding said first number and a number of discrete output signal lines not exceeding said second number;

a game board connector coupled to the analog and discrete output signal lines for inputting controller signals to the game board inputs;

a plurality of switches all coupled to a common input voltage node; and

circuit means coupling all of the plurality of switches to one of the analog output signal lines through a different resistance so as to produce a different discrete level of signal on said one analog output signal line uniquely corresponding to actuation of each of the switches;

thereby enabling input of different controller signals from said plurality of switches to the computer through the game board connector by use of only said one analog signal line.

2. A video game/simulator controller according to claim 1 in which the circuit means is arranged so that each switch is connected in series with a resistor to form a single switching subcircuit and all of the switching subcircuits are connected between the common input voltage node and a single output node coupled to said one analog output signal line.

3. A video game/simulator controller according to claim 2 in which each resistor has a different value of resistance.

4. A video game/simulator controller according to claim 1 in which the circuit means is arranged in a ladder circuit with the switches connected between the common input node and a series of output nodes coupled in series by separate resistors to a single output node coupled to said one analog output signal line.

5. A video game/simulator controller according to claim 4 in which each resistor has the same value of resistance.

6. A video game/simulator controller according to claim 1 in which the plurality of switches are formed in a multi-position switch including an actuation member having at least four actuation positions and at least four switch elements, one at each actuation position, so movement of the actuation member to each actuation position uniquely actuates one of said switch elements.

7. A system comprising:

a personal computer having a microprocessor, a display, and an input/output bus for connecting peripheral input and output devices to the microprocessor;

a computer program executed by said microprocessor, said program having a plurality of user-controlled functions;

a game board coupled to the input/output bus, the game board having an analog signal input for receiving and inputting to the microprocessor an analog input signal and a timer for converting the analog input signal level to a digital signal having a pulse width proportional to the level of the analog input signal;

a controller having an analog output signal line coupled to the game board analog signal input;

a plurality of discrete switches mounted on said controller, each discrete switch corresponding to a user-controlled function;

a resistor network coupled between the plurality of discrete switches and the analog output signal line so as to produce a unique level of signal on said analog output signal line when a corresponding one of said switches is actuated, so that the timer produces unique digital signals each having a unique pulse width respectively corresponding to each of the actuated switches; and

computer software executed by said microprocessor which measures the pulse width of each timer unique digital signal, associates the unique pulse width of the timer digital signal with the corresponding discrete switch, and indicates to the video game/simulator program that the corresponding discrete switch has been actuated, wherein the computer program executes one of the user-controlled functions corresponding to the indicated discrete switch.

8. A method of controlling a computer system having a plurality of user-controlled functions, the system including a personal computer having a game board coupled to the input/output bus, the game board having an analog signal input for receiving and inputting to the microprocessor an analog input signal and a timer for converting the signal level of the analog input signal to a digital signal having a pulse width proportional to the level of the analog input signal, the method comprising:

providing a controller having an analog output signal line and a plurality of discrete switches, each switch corresponding to a user-controlled function;

connecting the controller analog output signal line to the game board analog signal input;

connecting all of the plurality of discrete switches to the analog output signal line through a different impedance so as to produce a unique level of signal on said analog output signal line when a corresponding one of said switches is actuated, so that the timer produces unique digital signals each having a unique pulse width respectively corresponding to each of the actuated switches; and

measuring the pulse width of each timer digital signal;

associating the measured pulse width of the timer digital signals with the corresponding discrete switch; and

executing the user-controlled function corresponding to the discrete switch associated with the measured pulse width.