Operating device with analog joystick

• US 6,489,946 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Takeda, Genyo, Ashida, Kenichiro, Miyamoto, Shigeru, Nishida, Yasunari
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/675,254
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/158, 345/161, 345/156, 338/128, 273/148, 340/365, 341/20, 463/38, 463/36, 463/37
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• 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 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• 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 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• 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 2300/8005 Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/0474 characterised by means converting mechanical movement into electric signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04759 Light-sensitive detector, e.g. photoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 with additional push or pull action on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 : Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 : Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

An operating device is, while in use, connected to an image processor which generates image data of an image to be displayed on a monitor on the basis of a program. The operating device is provided with an analog joystick in addition to a plurality of switches, and outputs operation signals by which the image data can be modified according to an operation by an operator. The analog joystick includes a lever having a tip end which is protruded from a housing and inclined in an arbitrary direction including North, South, East and West. There is provided with a guide ring which includes a guide wall having an octagonal outer edge around the lever, and the guide wall guides the lever to eight corners, that is, upper, lower, left, right, right-upper, right-lower, left-upper and left-lower corners.

Claims

1. An operating device for use with an image processor which generates image data of an image to be displayed on a monitor, and outputs an operation signal by which the image data can be changed in accordance with an operation by an operator, said operating device comprising:

a hand-holdable housing; and

an analog joystick provided on said housing, wherein

said analog joystick includes a lever having a free end which extends from said housing and is pivotably movable in various directions, and a stationary guide member that is formed on said housing which, when in contact with said joystick, directs said joystick to a predetermined location on said guide member to assist an operator of said joystick to find said predetermined location on said guide member.

2. An operating device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide member includes a pair of converging sidewalls which define said predetermined location.

3. An operating device as defined in claim 2, wherein said predetermined location is defined by a pair of converging sidewalls on said guide member.

4. An operating device as defined in claim 1, wherein said predetermined location includes one of an up, down, left and right location for movement of said joystick.

5. An operating device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide member is operable to direct said joystick to a plurality of said predetermined locations.

6. An operating device as defined in claim 5, wherein said plurality of locations are substantially equally spaced around said joystick.

7. An operating device as defined in claim 6, wherein said plurality of locations include at least up, down, right and left movement locations for said joystick.

8. An operating device as defined in claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of locations are defined by a joining of a respective two converging sidewalls on said guide member.