Game machine control module and game machine

• US 6,001,014 A
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shinohara, Satoshi, Ono, Akihisa, Ogata, Hiroki, Akazawa, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Clayton, Sheila
• Application Number:
  US08/940,238
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37, 463/36, 463/38, 463/39, 463/30, 463/33, 273/148 B, 345/168, 345/169
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization

Abstract

This invention relates to a home game machine, and more particularly, to a game machine control module having a plurality of operation buttons, which is connected to a game machine body through a cable. The game machine control module comprises a control member for transmitting the operation data obtained by a plurality of operation buttons through the cable to the game machine body and for receiving the data from the game machine body through the cable, and a response member positioned at a predetermined place on the game machine control module and controlled by the control member based on a predetermined dynamic transmission data which is contained in the data transmitted from the game machine body. Therefore, this makes it possible to enjoy games giving the feeling of being at a live performance comparing to the conventional one.

Claims

1. A game machine control module having a plurality of operation buttons, which is connected to a game machine body through a cable, comprising:

a control member for transmitting the operation data obtained by a plurality of said operation buttons to said game machine body through said cable, and for receiving the data containing a predetermined dynamic transmission data from said game machine body through said cable; and

a response member which is positioned at a predetermined place on said game machine control module itself and which is operated by said control member in response to said predetermined dynamic transmission data received from said game machine body to cause said response member to operate so as to enhance ambience of a user holding the game machine control module during a game.

2. The game machine control module according to claim 1, wherein

said response member is a vibration member.

3. The game machine control module according to claim 2, wherein:

said game machine control module is composed of a housing and a pair of handles diverging from each other in a direction from said housing toward a user;

said diverging handles are connected and supported by hand palms of said user; and

said vibration member is arranged at, at least, one place of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing.

4. The game machine control module according to claim 3, comprising two said vibration members, wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing, and said two vibration members arranged at two places have a different size from each other.

5. The game machine control module according to claim 2, wherein

said vibration member comprises:

a motor;

a rotating shaft of which one side is connected to said motor; and

a member eccentrically mounted to the other side of said rotating shaft.

6. The game machine control module according to claim 2, wherein:

said predetermined dynamic transmission data has a plurality of packet data and each packet data has data representing a plurality of values of a driving electric current; and

said control member generates a driving electric current waveform to be supplied to said vibration member from the data representing said plurality of values of the driving electric current.

7. The game machine control module according to claim 2, wherein

the power supply for driving said vibration member is supplied from said game machine body itself.

8. The game machine control module according to claim 2, wherein

said game machine control module has a power supply member for driving said vibration member.

9. The game machine control module according to claim 8, wherein

said power supply member is a changeable battery.

10. The game machine control module according to claim 3, wherein

said control member controls the magnitude of the vibration of said vibration member based on said dynamic transmission data.

11. The game machine control module according to claim 1, wherein

said response member is a sound generating member.

12. The game machine control module according to claim 1, wherein

said response member is a light emitting member.

13. The game machine control module according to claim 3, comprising two said vibration members, wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing, and said dynamic transmission data contains control data for controlling the vibrating action of each of said vibration members.

14. The game machine control module according to claim 2, wherein

said vibrating member comprises:

a coil; and

a magnetic material corresponding to said coil;

wherein one of said coil or said magnetic material vibrates by the magnetic flux generated on said coil.

15. The game machine control module according to claim 14, wherein:

said game machine control module is composed of a housing and a pair of handles diverging from each other in a direction from said housing toward a user;

said diverging handles are connected and supported by hand palms of said user; and

said vibration member is positioned at, at least, one place of spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center of the housing.

16. The game machine control module according to claim 15, comprising two said vibration members wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing, and said two vibration members arranged at two places have a different size from each other.

17. The game machine control module according to claim 14, wherein:

said dynamic transmission data has a plurality of packet data and each packet data has data representing a plurality of values of a driving electric current; and

said control member generates a driving electric current waveform to be supplied to said vibration member from the data representing said values of the driving electric current.

18. The game machine control module according to claim 14, wherein

the power supply for driving said vibration member is supplied from said game machine body itself.

19. The game machine control module according to claim 14, wherein

said game machine control module has a power supply member for driving said vibration member.

20. The game machine control module according to claim 19, wherein

said power supply member is a changeable battery.

21. The game machine control module according to claim 15, wherein

said control member controls the magnitude of the vibration of said vibration member based on said dynamic transmission data.

22. The game machine control module according to claim 14, wherein

said vibration member is composed of a plurality of coils generating the magnetic flux in a plurality of directions and magnetic materials corresponding to a plurality of said coils.

23. The game machine control module according to claim 22, wherein

a plurality of said coils are unified with one another.

24. The game machine control module according to claim 14, wherein:

said module further has a detecting member for detecting the position of said module; and

said control member corrects the driving data to be supplied to said vibration member based on the detection result of said detecting member.

25. The game machine control module according to claim 15, comprising two said vibration members wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing, and said dynamic transmission data contains data for controlling the vibrating action of each said vibration members.

26. A game machine control module having a plurality of operation buttons, which is connected to a game machine body through a cable, comprising:

a control member for transmitting the operation data obtained by a plurality of said operation buttons to said game machine body through said cable, and for receiving the data containing a predetermined dynamic transmission data, which further contains a plurality of control data, from said game machine body through said cable; and

a response member which is positioned at a predetermined place on said game machine control module itself and which is operated by said control member in response to said predetermined dynamic transmission data received from said game machine body to cause said response member to operate so as to enhance ambience of a user holding the game machine module during a game, said response member being controlled by said control member based on a plurality of said control data so as to selectively generate different actions of said response member.

27. The game machine control module according to claim 26, wherein

said response member is a vibration member, and said vibration member is controlled by said control member so as to selectively generate different vibrations based on a plurality of said control data.

28. The game machine control module according to claim 27, wherein

a plurality of said control data are, at least, a first control data for analog-vibrating said vibration member and a second control data for digital-vibrating said vibration member.

29. The game machine control module according to claim 27, wherein:

said game machine control module is composed of a housing and a pair of handles diverging from each other in a direction from said housing toward a user;

said diverging handles are connected and supported by hand palms of said user; and

said vibration member is positioned at, at least, one place of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing.

30. The game machine control module according to claim 29, comprising two said vibration members, wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing, and said vibration members positioned at two places have a different size from each other;

and

with respect to each of said vibration members, a plurality of said control data are contained in the dynamic transmission data.

31. The game machine control module according to claim 29, comprising two said vibration members, wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing;

and

with respect to each of said vibration members, a plurality of said control data are contained in the dynamic transmission data.

32. The game machine control module according to claim 29, wherein

said vibration member comprises:

a motor;

a rotating shaft of which one side is connected to said motor; and

a member eccentrically mounted to the other side of said rotating shaft.

33. The game machine control module according to claim 32, wherein

said vibrating member comprises:

a coil; and

a magnetic material corresponding to said coil;

wherein one of said coil or said magnetic material vibrates by the magnetic flux generated on said coil.

34. The game machine control module according to claim 33, wherein

said game machine control module is composed of a housing and a pair of handles diverging from each other in a direction from said housing toward a user;

said diverging handles are connected and supported by hand palms of said user; and

said vibration member is arranged at, at least, one place of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing.

35. The game machine control module according to claim 34, comprising two said vibration members, wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center position of the housing, and said two vibration members positioned at two places have a different size from each other;

and

with respect to each of said vibration members, a plurality of said control data are contained in the dynamic transmission data.

36. The game machine control module according to claim 34, comprising two said vibration members, wherein

said two vibration members are arranged at, at least, two places of the spatial position of said pair of said handles or near a center of the housing;

and

with respect to each of said vibration members, a plurality of said control data are contained in the dynamic transmission data.