Peripheral-computer interfacing system and method

• US 5,818,426 A
• Filed: 05/21/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aztech New Media Corp.
• Original Assignee: Aztech New Media Corp.
• Inventors: Van Tuyl, David J., Tierney, T. Kirkwood
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Lance Leonard
• Application Number:
  US08/653,074
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/22, 341/26, 345/156-185, 345/161, 345/168-169, 395/892-893
• US Class Current: 345/161
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• 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 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for communicating peripheral input information through a game adapter interface to a personal computer processor. A controller reads switch signals output from one or more switch arrays to detect switch activity. The controller conditions and outputs digital switch activity signals representative of the detected switch activity. A multiplexer multiplexes the digital switch activity signals output from the controller to obtain a corresponding analog switch activity signal. The type of switch activity detected by the controller can include the first switch to be activated among contending slammers and/or the current activation state of an array of selector switches. The controller includes a signal conditioner which asserts digital switch activity signals for a predetermined duration to enable a steady-state analog switch signal to be polled by a personal computer processor. In this way, even rapid, momentary peripheral inputs through the switches are detected by a heavily-loaded PC processor through the game adapter interface. The controller further outputs a digital report signal such as a semaphore indicating either an active multiplexing condition or a calibration period. During calibration, the controller outputs a sequence of digital signals having different binary values such that a respective multiplexer outputs a profile of analog values covering the range of different switch activities.

Claims

1. A peripheral interface system for communicating peripheral switch activity through a game adapter interface in a personal computer system, comprising:

at least one switch array outputting switch signals indicating whether respective switches in said at least one switch array have been activated;

a controller comprising;

a switch activity detection means for reading said switch signals to detect switch activity, and

digital signal output means for outputting a digital switch activity signal corresponding to said detected switch activity; and

a multiplexer for multiplexing said digital switch activity signal output from said controller to obtain an analog switch activity signal having a value indicative of said detected switch activity;

wherein

said controller further comprises

a signal conditioner for conditioning said digital switch activity signal such that said digital switch activity signal is asserted for at least a predetermined duration.

2. The peripheral interface system of claim 1, wherein said at least one switch array includes a first array of switches, said switch activity detection means reads said switch signals corresponding to said first array of switches to detect a first switch activated among said first array of switches.

3. The peripheral interface system of claim 1, wherein said at least one switch array includes a second array of switches, said switch activity detection means reads said switch signals corresponding to said second array of switches to detect a current switch array activation state.

4. The peripheral interface system of claim 1, wherein said signal conditioner conditions said digital switch activity signal to be asserted for a predetermined duration which extends for at least one millisecond, whereby, a heavily-loaded personal computer processor can detect said analog switch activity signal through the game adapter interface.

5. The peripheral interface system of claim 1,

wherein said digital signal output means furter outputs at least one digital semaphore signal having a digital value indicating when said digital switch activity signal is output to said multiplexer.

6. The peripheral interface system of claim 1, wherein said digital signal output means further outputs at least one digital semaphore signal and said signal conditioner conditions said at least one digital semaphore signal such that said digital semaphore signal reports an active multiplexing condition indicating the presence of a steady-state analog switch activity signal.

7. The peripheral interface system of claim 1,

wherein said digital signal output means further outputs at least one digital semaphore signal which reports an active calibration condition.

8. The peripheral interface system of claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises calibration means for controlling said digital signal output means during a calibration period;

wherein during a calibration period said digital signal output means outputs;

a sequence of digital signals having different values such that said multiplexer outputs a profile of analog values covering respective different switch activities in said at least one switch array.

9. A peripheral interface system for use with a game adapter interface in a personal computer system, said game adapter interface having at least one analog channel and at least one digital channel, the peripheral-interface system comprising:

a first group of switches outputting a first group of switch signals indicating whether respective switches in said first group of switches have been activated;

a second group of switches outputting a second group of switch signals indicating whether respective switches in said second group of switches have been activated;

a first reading means for reading said first group of switch signals to detect a first activated switch within said first group of switches;

a second reading means for reading said second group of switch signals to detect a current state of said second group of switches representing whether each switch in said second group of switches is activated;

digital signal outputting means for outputting first and second groups of digital signals, said first group of digital signals identifying said first activated switch detected by said first reading means, and said second group of digital signals identifying said current state of said second group of switches detected by said second reading means; and

signal conditioning means for conditioning said first and second groups of digital signals; and

at least one multiplexer means for multiplexing said first and second groups of digital signals conditioned by said signal conditioning means and outputting corresponding first and second analog signals over at least one analog channel at the game adapter interface, said first analog signal having an analog value identifying said first activated switch in said first group of switches and said second analog signal having an analog value identifying said current state of said second group of switches;

wherein said signal conditioning means asserts each of said first and second groups of digital signals for a predetermined duration, said predetermined duration being sufficiently long to enable said respective first and second analog signals to be asserted at the game adapter interface for a steady-state duration which is longer than a polling latency of a personal computer processor connected to the game adapter interface.

10. The peripheral interface system of claim 9, wherein

said first reading means includes contention detecting means for analyzing the order of said first group of switch signals to detect said first activated switch.

11. The peripheral interface system of claim 9,

further comprising digital semaphore outputting means for outputting at least one digital semaphore on the at least one digital channel of the game adapter interface, wherein said at least one digital semaphore reports an active multiplexing condition.

12. The peripheral interface system of claim 9, further comprising

calibration means for controlling said digital signal outputting means during a calibration period;

wherein during a calibration period said digital signal outputting means outputs at least one of;

a sequence of said first digital signals having different values such that said at least one multiplexer means outputs a first profile of analog values covering respective first switch activations of each switch in said first switch array; and

a sequence of said second digital signals having different values such that said at least one multiplexer means outputs a second profile of analog values covering respective second switch array states.

13. The peripheral interface system of claim 12, further comprising:

digital semaphore outputting means for outputting at least one digital semaphore on said at least one digital channel of the game adapter interface, wherein said at least one digital semaphore reports an active multiplexing condition or a calibration period.

14. The peripheral interface system of claim 9, wherein said signal conditioning means conditions said first and second groups of digital signals such that only one of said first and second analog signals is output to the game adapter interface at a time.

15. An electronic interface system for communicating peripheral input information through at least one analog channel and at least one digital channel of a game adapter interface to a computer processor, comprising:

a switch array comprised of a plurality of switches outputting switch signals indicating whether the switches have been activated by peripheral inputs;

a controller, coupled to said switch array, wherein said controller processes said switch signals to detect switch activity, generates a digital semaphore reporting a detected switch activity through an digital channel to the computer processor, and generates a digital switch activity signal representative of the detected switch activity; and

a multiplexer coupled to said controller for multiplexing said digital switch activity signal from said controller to obtain an analog signal having a value indicative of the peripheral input information, said analog signal being output through an analog channel for transmission to the computer processor.

16. An electronic interface method for communicating switching activity in a number of switches through at least one analog channel and at least one digital channel of a game adapter interface to a computer processor, the method comprising the steps of:

generating switch signals indicating whether the switches have been activated;

reading said switch signals to detect switch activity;

generating and outputting a digital semaphore through a digital channel to the computer processor when switch activity is detected;

generating a digital switch activity signal representative of the detected switch activity;

multiplexing said digital switch activity signal to obtain an analog switch activity signal having a value indicative of the detected switch activity; and

outputting said analog switch activity signal through an analog channel for transmission to the computer processor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said reading step includes the step of detecting contention between switch signals.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of conditioning said digital switch activity signal such that said digital switch activity signal is asserted for a predetermined duration at least equal to a polling latency of the computer processor to enable said analog switch activity signal to be detected by the personal computer processor.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

conditioning said digital semaphore to report an active multiplexing condition a predetermined time period after a switch activation is detected such that the computer processor will receive said analog switch activity signal in a steady-state.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said digital semaphore generating step further reports a calibration period through the digital channel to the computer processor.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

generating a sequence of digital signals during said calibration period;

multiplexing said sequence of digital signals during said calibration period to generate a calibration profile of analog values covering a range of switch activities; and

outputting said calibration profile through the analog channel for transmission to the computer processor.

22. A peripheral interface system for use with a game adapter interface in a computer system, said game adapter interface having at least one analog channel and at least one digital channel, the peripheral-interface system comprising:

at least one switch array outputting switch signals indicating whether respective switches in said at least one switch array have been activated; and

a controller comprising;

at least one switch activity detection means for reading said switch signals and detecting switch activity;

at least one digital signal output means for generating digital output signals which correspond to said detected switch activity; and

signal conditioning means for conditioning said digital output signals such that conditioned digital output signals are asserted at the game adapter interface for a predetermined duration allowing reliable polling by the computer system, wherein said predetermined duration extends for at least one millisecond.

23. A peripheral interface system for use with a game adapter interface in a computer system, said game adapter interface having at least one analog channel and at least one digital channel, the peripheral-interface system comprising:

at least one switch array outputting switch signals indicating whether respective switches in said at least one switch array have been activated; and

a controller comprising;

at least one switch activity detection means for reading said switch signals and detecting switch activity;

at least one digital signal output means for generating digital output signals which correspond to said detected switch activity; and

signal conditioning means for conditioning said digital output signals such that conditioned digital output signals are asserted at the game adapter interface for a predetermined duration allowing reliable polling by the computer system, further comprising;

at least one multiplexing means for multiplexing said conditioned digital output signals and outputting a multiplexed analog signal representative of said multiplexed conditioned digital output signals over the at least one analog channel.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said controller further comprises:

digital semaphore outputting means for outputting at least one digital semaphore on the at least one digital channel of the game adapter interface, wherein said at least one digital semaphore identifies when said multiplexed analog signal is present on the at least one analog channel.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said controller further comprises:

calibration means for controlling said at least one digital signal output means during a calibration period;

wherein during a calibration period said at least one digital signal output means outputs a sequence of digital output signals having different values such that said at least one multiplexing means outputs corresponding analog signals representing a profile of analog values.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said controller further comprises:

digital semaphore outputting means for outputting at least one digital semaphore on the at least one digital channel of the game adapter interface, wherein said at least one digital semaphore indicates whether an analog signal is being output from said at least one multiplexing means on the at least one analog channel which represents a calibration value or an actual value corresponding to detected switch activity.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the game adapter interface includes two analog channels and two digital channels and said at least one switch array comprises four switches.

28. A peripheral interface system for use with a game adapter interface in a computer system, said game adapter interface having at least one analog channel and at least one digital channel, the peripheral-interface system comprising:

at least one switch array outputting switch signals indicating whether respective switches in said at least one switch array have been activated; and

a controller comprising;

at least one switch activity detection means for reading said switch signals and detecting switch activity;

at least one digital signal output means for generating digital output signals which correspond to said detected switch activity; and

signal conditioning means for conditioning said digital output signals such that conditioned digital output signals are asserted at the game adapter interface for a predetermined duration allowing reliable polling by the computer system, wherein said at least one switch activity detection means includes contention detecting means for detecting a first activated switch in a first switch array of said at least one switch array, and wherein said digital output signals represent the ordinal of said first activated switch within said first switch array.

29. A method for communicating switching activity among a plurality of switches through corresponding game adapter interface channels to a computer processor, the game adapter interface channels including at least one analog channel and at least one digital channel, the method comprising the steps of:

reading switch signals from the switches to detect switch activity;

generating digital output signals representative of detected switch activity;

conditioning said digital output signals such that conditioned digital output signals are asserted at the game adapter interface for a predetermined duration allowing reliable polling by the computer processor; and

outputting said conditioned digital output signals over corresponding game adapter interface channels, wherein said predetermined duration is at least equal to a polling latency of the computer processor.