Video pinball machine controller having an optical accelerometer for detecting slide and tilt
First Claim
1. A video pinball machine controller for use with a personal computer, the controller comprising:
- a base;
a handle mounted on the base;
an accelerometer mounted on the controller along a first axis that produces a signal proportional to an amount of force applied to the handle transversely to the first axis; and
means coupled to the accelerometer for transmitting the signal to the personal computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention comprises a controller that includes a base, a handle mounted on the base, a flipper switch mounted at a distal end of the handle, and having two optical accelerometers mounted within a cavity of the handle for detecting the force applied to the controller. Each optical accelerometer includes a light source, a light detector, and a shield having a pattern formed thereon that varies from the first end of the shield to a second end of the shield so as to allow an increasing amount of light to pass through the shield as the shield moves from its first end to its second end. The shield is pivotally mounted between the light source and the light detector so that the force applied to the handle causes the shield to pivot thereby allowing a varying amount of light to be passed from the light detector through the shield to the light source. Thus, the amount of light detected by the light source is a function of the amount of deflection of the shield, which is further a function of the amount of force applied. The pattern formed on the shield can take a variety of forms. In the preferred embodiment the pattern is a progressive grey scale pattern that goes from a ten percent grey scale at the first end to a ninety percent grey scale at the second end. The pattern can also comprise a slot that has a width that varies increasingly from the second end to the first end of the shield.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A video pinball machine controller for use with a personal computer, the controller comprising:
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a base; a handle mounted on the base; an accelerometer mounted on the controller along a first axis that produces a signal proportional to an amount of force applied to the handle transversely to the first axis; and means coupled to the accelerometer for transmitting the signal to the personal computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16)
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- 13. A controller according to claim I further comprising a dual-stage switch mounted on the handle and the means for transmitting includes conductors coupled to the switch for transmitting first and second switch signals to the personal computer.
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17. A video pinball simulation system comprising:
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a computer; pinball simulation so&
ware running on the computer; anda video pinball machine controller coupled to the computer, the controller having at least one user actuated input device for inputting stimuli into the computer, the computer being responsive to the stimuli under control of the pinball simulation software to produce a corresponding simulation response. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of simulating a pinball machine using a computer executing a pinball software simulation program that displays video graphics of a pinball machine, the method comprising:
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providing a first video pinball machine controller; detecting a force applied to the controller by a user; generating a signal proportional to the force; transmitting the signal to the computer executing the pinball simulation software; reading the signal by the computer; converting the signal to a corresponding force value; and producing a change in the video graphics responsive to a predetermined force value. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A video pinball machine controller for use with a personal computer, the controller comprising:
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a horizontal base; a handle mounted on the base and having a dome-shaped portion adapted to receive a palm of a user'"'"'s hand and a neck portion extending away from the dome shaped portion and forming an actuator portion at a distal end of the handle opposite the dome-shaped portion; a switch mounted on the actuator portion of the handle in position to be actuated by the user'"'"'s index finger; and a cable coupled to the switch for transmitting switch signals to the personal computer. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A video pinball machine controller for use with a personal computer, comprising:
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a base; a handle mounted on the base and sized and shaped to be grasped in a user'"'"'s hand; and a dual-stage push-button mounted on the handle in position to be depressed by one of the user'"'"'s fingers;
the push-button including a first stage switch, actuable on depressing the push-button by a first amount and a second-stage switch actuable by depressing the push button by a second amount exceeding the first amount. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification