Optical gun for use with computer games

• US 6,287,198 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jack J. Mccauley
• Inventors: McCauley, Jack J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hotaling, John M
• Application Number:
  US09/366,390
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/36-39, 463/50-52, 345/27, 345/28, 345/156, 345/158, 345/192, 345/193, 345/207, 710/3, 710/15, 710/30, 710/46, 710/63
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• 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 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/02 : Light- or radiation-emitting guns ; Light- or radiation-sensitive guns; Cartridges carrying light emitting sources, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 : for light pen

Abstract

An optical gun for use in combination with computer game and computer simulation systems is provided. The optical gun includes a pistol shaped chassis, a USB computer control circuit, an optical sensor, a set of manual buttons, a trigger, a thumbpad, an optical wheel and a hardware accelerator. A game player grasps the pistol shaped chassis with one hand around a hand grip, while supporting a barrel section with a second hand. The optical wheel is located on the barrel and is manipulated by the player'"'"'s second hand. The player points the barrel at a video screen of a game system. A pull of the trigger indicates that the player has fired a simulated round within a simulation context. Turns of the optical wheel indicate movement of the game player'"'"'s virtual location within a simulated game space or volume. The player may press against the thumbpad or actuate one of the buttons to communicate movement within the game scenario, or to transmit other instructions to the computer simulation system. The controller receives information from the game system that specifies the pixel illumination data sequence of the video screen. Alternatively, the optical gun may generate a pixel illumination sequence and thereby impose a screen flash on the video screen via the hardware accelerator. The controller calculates the position of the video screen at which the optical gun was pointed by comparing the time of illumination detection reported by the optical sensor within the period of time that the trigger was pulled against the pixel illumination sequence pattern information provided by the game system. The controller then transmits the calculated position on the screen at which the simulated round firing was intended, and any manipulation or activation of the buttons, the optical wheel or the thumbpad, to the host computer. The game system thereupon integrates the game player'"'"'s inputs regarding virtual movement within the simulated game space or volume and the simulated firing of rounds within the context of the game simulation. The game player may thus ergonomically explore and interact within a simulated two or three dimensional game space. The optical gun and the game system may incorporate USB Bus and Human Interface Device, or HID, standards into their design, use and architecture.

Claims

1. An optical gun for use by a game player in combination with a computer game system, the computer game system having a host computer and a video screen and the computer game system running a computer software game, said optical gun comprising:

a universal serial bus compliant computer;

an optical sensor, said optical sensor detecting an illumination of a position located on the video screen, and said optical sensor transmitting a detection time signal to said universal serial bus compliant computer, said detection time signal containing information indicating a time of occurrence of detection of the screen position illumination;

a universal serial bus, said universal serial bus providing a bi-directional signal and power pathway between said universal serial bus computer and the host computer;

a video sampling cable, said video sampling cable receiving video screen data from the host computer and transmitting the video screen data to the video screen, and said universal serial bus compliant comparing a pixel illumination sequence of the video screen data with said time of occurrence of detection of the illumination as specified in said detection time signal, and determining therefrom the position of the video screen wherefrom said optical sensor detected the illumination, and said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a formatted report specifying the position, and said universal computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus;

a chassis, and said optical sensor is affixed to said chassis; and

a plurality of buttons, each of said plurality of buttons having an off state and a depressed state, each of said buttons transmitting a depression signal when passing from said off state and into said depressed state, and said universal serial bus computer generating a formatted report specifying said depression signals, and said universal serial bus computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus.

2. An optical gun for use by a game player in combination with a computer game system, the computer game system having a host computer and a video screen and the computer game system running a computer software game, said optical gun comprising:

a universal serial bus compliant computer;

an optical sensor, said optical sensor detecting an illumination of a position located on the video screen, and said optical sensor transmitting a detection time signal to said universal serial bus compliant computer, said detection time signal containing information indicating a time of occurrence of detection of the screen position illumination;

a universal serial bus, said universal serial bus providing a bi-directonal signal and power pathway between said universal serial bus compliant computer and the host computer; and

a video sampling cable, said video sampling cable receiving video screen data from the host computer and transmitting the video screen data to the video screen, and said universal serial bus compliant computer comparing a pixel illumination sequence of the video screen data with said time of occurrence of detection of the illumination as specified in said detection time signal, and determining therefrom the position of the video screen wherefrom said optical sensor detected the illumination, and said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a formatted report specifying the position, and said universal serial bus compliant computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus;

a chassis, and said optical sensor is affixed to said chassis;

an optical wheel, said optical wheel attached to said chassis, and said optical wheel generating and transmitting a position report to said universal serial bus compliant computer, and said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a formatted report specifying said position report, and said universal serial bus compliant computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus.

3. The optical gun of claim 2, wherein said chassis comprises a barrel and a grip, and said optical wheel is attached proximate to said barrel.

4. The optical gun of claim 3, wherein said chassis further comprises a motion detector, said motion detector sensing direction of motion and rate of motion of said chassis and transmitting a motion report to said universal serial bus compliant computer, said motion report indicating the direction of motion and rate of motion of said chassis as sensed by said motion detector.

5. An optical gun for use by a game player in combination with a computer game system, the computer game system having a host computer and a video screen and the computer game system running a computer software game, said optical gun comprising:

a universal serial bus compliant computer;

an optical sensor, said optical sensor detecting an illumination of a position located on the video screen, and said optical sensor transmitting a detection time signal to said universal serial bus compliant computer, said detection time signal containing information indicating a time of occurrence of detection of the screen position illumination;

a universal serial bus, said universal serial bus providing a bi-directional signal and power pathway between said universal serial bus compliant computer and the host computer;

a video sampling cable, said video sampling cable receiving video screen data from the host computer and transmitting the video screen data to the video screen, and said universal serial bus compliant computer comparing a pixel illumination sequence of the video screen data with said time of occurrence of detection of the illumination as specified in said detection time signal, and determining therefrom the position of the video screen wherefrom said optical sensor detected the illumination, and said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a formatted report specifying the position, and said universal serial bus compliant computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus;

a chassis, and said optical sensor is affixed to said chassis; and

a thumbpad, said thumbpad attached to said chassis, and said thumbpad generating and transmitting a pressure report to said USB computer, and said USB computer generating a formatted report specifying said pressure report, and said USB computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said USB bus.

6. The optical gun of claim 5, wherein said optical gun further comprises a second thumbpad, said second thumbpad generating and transmitting a second pressure report to said universal serial bus compliant computer, and said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a second formatted report specifying said second pressure report, and said universal serial bus compliant computer transmitting said second formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus whereby the game computer system provides said thumbpad and said second thumbpad as a pair of separate gaming inputs to a computer game.

7. An optical gun for use by a game player in combination with a computer game system, the computer game system having a host computer and video screen and the computer game system running a computer software game, and the host computer having an analog game port, said optical gun comprising:

a universal serial bus compliant computer;

an optical sensor, said optical sensor detecting an illumination of a position located on the video screen, and said optical sensor transmitting a detection time signal to said universal serial bus compliant computer, said detection time signal containing information indicating a time of occurrence of detection of the screen position illumination;

a universal serial bus, said universal serial bus providing a bi-directional signal and power pathway between said universal serial bus compliant computer and the host computer;

a video sampling cable, said video sampling cable receiving video screen data from the host computer and transmitting the video screen data to the video screen, and said universal serial bus compliant computer comparing a pixel illumination sequence of the video screen data with said time of occurrence of detection of the illumination as specified in said detection time signal, and determining therefrom the position of the video screen wherefrom said optical sensor detected the illumination, and said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a formatted report specifying the position, and said universal serial bus compliant computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus;

a chassis, and said optical sensor is affixed to said chassis;

an analog thumbpad, said analog thumbpad generating a pressure report to said universal serial bus compliant computer, said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a formatted report specifying said pressure report; and

an analog signal line, said analog signal line providing an electrical signal pathway from said universal serial bus compliant computer and to the analog game port, and said universal serial bus compliant computer transmitting said formatted signal to the host computer via said analog signal line.

8. An optical gun for use by a game player in combination with a computer game system, the computer game system having a host computer and a video screen and the computer game system running a computer software game, said optical gun comprising:

a universal serial bus compliant computer;

an optical sensor, said optical sensor detecting an illumination of a position located on the video screen, and said optical sensor transmitting a detection time signal to said universal serial bus compliant computer, said detection time signal containing information indicating a time of occurrence of detection of the screen position illumination;

a universal serial bus, said universal serial bus providing a bi-directional signal and power pathway between said universal serial bus compliant computer and the host computer;

a video sampling cable, said video sampling cable receiving video screen data from the host computer and transmitting the video screen data to the video screen, and said universal serial bus compliant computer comparing a pixel illumination sequence of the video screen data with said time of occurrence of detection of the illumination as specified in said detection time signal, and determining therefrom the position of the video screen wherefrom said optical sensor detected the illumination, and said universal serial bus compliant computer generating a formatted report specifying the position, and said universal serial bus compliant computer transmitting said formatted report to the host computer via said universal serial bus;

a chassis, and said optical sensor is affixed to said chassis; and

a watchdog circuit, said watchdog circuit periodically receiving a reset signal from said universal serial bus compliant computer, and said watchdog circuit initiating an enumeration of said optical gun when said reset signal is not received from said universal serial bus compliant computer within a prespecified period of time.