Touch sensitive computer interface controller

• US 5,632,679 A
• Filed: 12/08/1994
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Tremmel
• Original Assignee: Michael Tremmel
• Inventors: Tremmel, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US08/351,792
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37, 463/36, 273/148 B, 273/438, 273/434, 273/433, 307/116, 307/112, 345/156, 345/157, 345/160, 341/22, 341/20, 200/DIG. 2, 200/DIG. 23, 340/524, 340/517
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9645 Resistive touch switches

Abstract

Disclosed is a video game controller for use with a video game computer system such as used in home, hand held, and arcade video games. The controller uses a plurality of singularly electrically conductive contact points adapted to touch the skin of the hands of the user whereby the electrical resistance of the skin of the hands and fingers of the user to the passage of electric current from one or more of the contact points will activate one or more switch circuits within the controller housing are connected to a video game computer. Also disclosed are oscillator circuitry, diagonal control circuitry, amplifier circuitry, wireless control circuitry, and memory control ciruitry that provides for special functions within the video game computer.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive video game controller to be held between the hands of the user, said controller comprising:

an electrically non-conductive top housing and a singularly electrically conductive bottom housing which combine to form an outer housing for said controller, said housing containing touch sensitive circuitry, diagonal control circuitry and interface means;

said top housing having a plurality of singularly electrically conductive first contact points, each first contact point being mounted below said top housing, extending through an aperture in said top housing and projecting above said top housing;

said bottom housing being connected to one end of a supply voltage and forming a second electrically conductive contact point, said second contact point and any one of said plurality of first contact points being bridged by the skin of the user by the holding of said controller and simultaneous touching of any one of said first contact points thereby activating touch sensitive circuitry;

said touch sensitive circuitry comprising a plurality of touch sensitive circuits, each said touch sensitive circuit comprising three resistors arranged in series, with each end of said series being respectively connected to a positive and a negative terminal of the said supply voltage, wherein one of said resistors includes the electrical skin resistance of a user, whereby the electrical resistance of the skin to the passage of electrical current forms a part of said touch sensitive circuit and the simultaneous touching of any of said first contact points and said second contact point completes said circuit;

said diagonal control circuitry comprising a plurality of digital logic switching circuits, each circuit comprising of several digital logic gates monitoring one of the said first contact points which control diagonal direction including the two adjacent direction control inputs of the said first contact points through the said touch sensitive circuits, whereby the engagement of said diagonal first contact point results in the simultaneous engagement of the said two adjacent first contact points with a single touch, wherein the engagement of one of the two said single adjacent first contact points results in only the engagement of that single contact point and activates said interface means;

and said interface means including means for outputting a signal representative of said touch, said signal being in a form recognizable as a controller input for use with at least one of a video game computer system and a personal computer system running a video game.

2. The video game controller of claim 1, further comprising amplifier means connected between said touch sensitive circuits, said diagonal control circuits and said interface means, said amplifier means for increasing the sensitivity of said touch sensitive circuits, whereby the skin of the finger without bridging the skin to the said second contact point touching one or more of the said first contact points results in activation of said touch sensitive circuits, said diagonal control circuits, and said interface means.

3. The video game controller of claim 1, further comprising cordless means connected between said touch sensitive circuits, or said amplifier means including diagonal control circuits, and said interface means, said cordless means comprising multiplexing circuits, whereby converting all plurality of data flow from said first contact points into a single data flow connected to signal emitting circuits for emitting said single data flow through space and into signal receiving circuits for outputting said single data flow into demultiplexing circuits converting said single data flow into said all plurality of data flow.

4. The video game controller of claim 1, further comprising oscillator and oscillator control means connected between one or more of said touch sensitive circuits and said interface means, said oscillator means for outputting a rapid repetitive digital signal to said interface means upon activation of said touch sensitive circuit or circuits, such that a user'"'"'s single touch results in a plurality of rapid repetitive output signals from one or more of the touch sensitive circuits to said interface means, and said oscillator control means activated by a single touch sensitive circuit whereby the touch sensitive circuits connected to the oscillator circuits output a rapid repetitive signal to said interface means when one or more are bridged by the skin of the user, said oscillator control circuits further comprising a variable rheostat control in which the user can vary the rate of the said rapid repetitive signal with respect to time.

5. The video game controller of claim 1, further comprising memory storage means comprising random access memory, and logic gating circuits connected between said oscillator control circuits and said interfacing means, whereby the storage of a succession of moves previously inputted by the user and the activation of said memory storage means resulting in the execution of said storage of moves wherein the single touch of a predetermined contact point determined by user is means of activation of said memory circuits.