Controller for a video game console

• US 5,667,220 A
• Filed: 11/13/1995
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TOP Game & Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: TOP Game & Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Cheng, Chou
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W.
• Application Number:
  US08/556,508
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148 B, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/39, 463/46, 463/47, 345/156, 345/158, 345/161
• US Class Current: 273/148.00B
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/048 Inductive or infrared coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/014 located in recess
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/026 Hook and loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/04 portable; hand held
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/046 convertible
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/008 Video game

Abstract

A controller for a video game console includes first and second handheld control units. Each of the handheld control units has a housing with a finger operating surface that is provided with a control button, and a transmitting unit for transmitting signals to the video game console when the control button unit is operated. An interconnecting unit is provided for releasably interconnecting the housings of the control units.

Claims

1. A controller for a video game console, comprising first and second handheld control units, each of which has a housing with a finger operating surface and an engaging surface which is transverse to said finger operating surface, said finger operating surface being provided with a control button unit, means for transmitting signals to the video game console when said control button unit of each of said control units is operated and means for releasably interconnecting said housings of said handheld control units, said interconnecting means including at least one engaging projection extending from said engaging surface of onr of said housings, and at least one engaging groove which is formed in said engaging surface of the other one of said housings for releasably engaging said engaging projection.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein said engaging projection is a dovetail projection and said engaging groove is a dovetail groove.

3. The controller of claim 2, further comprising positioning means for preventing relative movement between said housings when said engaging projection engages said engaging groove.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein said positioning means includes a convex positioning protrusion extending from said engaging surface of one of said housings, and a concave positioning recess which is formed in said engaging surface of the other one of said housings so as to releasably receive said positioning protrusion therein when said engaging projection engages completely said engaging groove.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means further includes a joining member formed with a locking groove that removably engages said engaging projection of said one of said housings, and a locking projection that removably engages said engaging groove of said other one of said housings so as to interconnect separably said housings such that said finger operating surfaces of said housings are opposite to one another.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein said finger operating surface of said one of said housings is further formed with a through-hole which extends to said engaging groove, said engaging projection of said other one of said housings including a parallel pair of resilient hook plates, each of said hook plates having a hooked end portion which extends through said engaging groove and into said through-hole so as to releasably interconnect said housings.

7. The controller of claim 1, further comprising a connector which is adapted to be connected electrically to the video game console, said transmitting means of each of said control units including a cable which has one end portion connected electrically to said control button unit thereof and an opposite end portion connected electrically to said connector.

8. The controller of claim 1, further comprising a connector which is adapted to be connected electrically to the video game console, said transmitting means of said first control unit including a first cable which has one end portion connected electrically to said control button unit thereof and an opposite end portion connected electrically to said control button unit of said second control unit, said transmitting means of said second control unit including a second cable which has one end portion connected electrically to said control button unit thereof and an opposite end portion connected electrically to said connector.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein said transmitting means of each of said control units includes a wireless radio signal transmitter which is connected electrically to said respective control button unit and which transmits wireless radio signals when the respective control button unit is operated, said controller further including a wireless radio signal receiver which receives said wireless signals from said wireless signal transmitters and which is adapted to be connected electrically to the video game console.

10. The controller of claim 1, wherein said transmitting means of each of said control units includes an infrared signal transmitter which is connected electrically to said respective control button unit and which transmits infrared signals when the respective control button unit is operated, said controller further including an infrared signal receiver which receives said infrared signals from said infrared signal transmitters and which is adapted to be connected electrically to the video game console.

11. A controller for video game console, comprising first and second handheld control units, each of which has a housing with a finger operating surface and an engaging surface which is transverse to said finger operating surface, said finger operating surface being provided with a control button unit, means for transmitting signals to the video game console when said control button unit of each of said control units is operated and means for releasably interconnecting said housings of said handheld control units, said interconnecting means including an elongated dovetail groove formed in said engaging surface of each of said housings, and an elongated joining member which has opposite dovetail projections that releasably engage said dovetail groove of said housings to interconnect separably said housings.

12. A controller for a video game console, comprising first and second handheld control units, each of which has a housing with a finger operating surface and an engaging surface which is transverse to said finger operating surface, said finger operating surface being provided with a control button unit, means for transmitting signals to the video game console when said control button unit of each of said control units is operated and means for releasably interconnecting said housings of said handheld control units, said interconnecting means including overlapping upper and lower tab members which extend respectively from said engaging surface of said housings, each of said tab members being formed with a spaced pair vertically extending engaging holes, said interconnecting means further including a pair of insert pins which extend removably through said engaging holes of said tab members so as to interconnect separably said housings.

13. A controller for a video game console, comprising first and second handheld control units, each of which has a housing with a finger operating surface and an engaging surface which is transverse to said finger operating surface, said finger operating surface being provided with a control button unit, means for transmitting signals to the video game console when said control button unit of each of said control units is operated and means for releasably interconnecting said housings of said handheld control units, said interconnecting means including a pair of lug members, each of which extends from said engaging surface of a respective one of said housings and is formed with a horizontally extending through-hole, and an insert shaft which has a shaft portion that extends removably through said through-holes of said lug members so as to interconnect releasably said housings.

14. The controller of claim 13, wherein each of said through-holes is an oval-shaped through-hole for receiving fittingly and removably said shaft portion of said insert shaft.