Dedicated wireless digital video disc (DVD) controller for video game consoles

• US 6,565,441 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arista Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arista Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Leifer, Richard, Hames, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US09/649,740
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37, 463/38, 463/39, 434/351
• US Class Current: 463/39
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• 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 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 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/202 the game platform being a DVD player

Abstract

A wireless interface and dedicated digital video disc (DVD) controller for video game consoles capable of playing DVDs. An adapter is inserted into one of the communication ports of the game console and provides a wireless communication receiver for receiving and inputting control commands into the game console. A dedicated DVD remote control device includes a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting DVD player control functions to the game console via the adapter and thereby enables wireless control of the DVD functions of the game console. The control buttons on the dedicated DVD remote control correspond in function to the wired game controller buttons that would otherwise control the DVD functions of the game console, but have an appearance to the user that corresponds to a standard DVD player remote control. Thus, the user need not navigate through menus or otherwise determine the DVD player functions of the wired game controller buttons with symbol designations used for various functions of game play.

Claims

1. A wireless controller for controlling digital video disc (DVD) functions of a video game console capable of playing DVDs, the game console having a plurality of communication ports, the wireless controller comprising:

a wireless receiver having one end insertable into one of the plurality of communication ports of the video game console and a wireless receiving portion; and

a dedicated DVD remote control transmitter having an absence of control over game functions of the video game console at all times and having a plurality of DVD player function control buttons, said remote control wirelessly transmitting DVD player control commands to said wireless receiver for controlling the DVD player functions of the video game console.

2. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said wireless receiver further comprises an additional communication port corresponding to the communication port in which the wireless receiver is inserted so as to provide the user with access to the communication port while being utilized by the wireless receiver.

3. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of DVD player function control buttons correspond in function to predetermined buttons on a game controller designated for controlling video game functions of the video game console.

4. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said one of the plurality of communication ports comprises one selected from a group consisting of a game controller port, a memory slot, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a FireWire™

port and a PCMCIA slot.

5. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an infrared wireless protocol for the wireless transmitting and receiving of the DVD player control commands from said remote control to said wireless receiver.

6. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency protocol for the wireless transmitting and receiving of the DVD player control commands from said remote control to said wireless receiver.

7. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of DVD player function control buttons comprise indicia representative of the corresponding DVD player function associated with the respective button.

8. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said wireless receiver further comprises an indicator light for providing a user with a visual indication when said dedicated DVD remote control is actively transmitting DVD player control functions to said receiver.

9. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 1, further comprising wireless communication protocol for enabling wireless communication between said receiver and said remote control, said wireless communication protocol comprising at least one selected from a group consisting of infrared (IR) and radio frequency (RF).

10. A wireless controller for a video game console having a plurality of communication ports including game controller ports and two modes including, (i) a first game mode capable of playing video games and (ii) a second entertainment mode capable of playing DVD videos, and a game controller adapted to be connected one of the game controller ports and configured to operate the video game console in said first game mode, said wireless controller controlling the game console when in said second entertainment mode, the wireless controller comprising:

a wireless receiver having one end configured for insertion into one of said plurality of communication ports of the video game console;

a dedicated DVD remote control transmitter having an absence of control over game functions of the video game console at all times and in all modes and having a plurality of DVD player function control buttons, said remote control wirelessly transmitting DVD player control commands to said receiver for controlling the DVD player functions of the video game console when in said second entertainment mode; and

wireless communication protocol for communicating the DVD player control commands from said remote control to said receiver, said wireless receiver converting received DVD player control commands into electrical signals for input into the one of said plurality of communication ports of the video game console.

11. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 10, wherein said one of the plurality of communication ports comprises one selected from a group consisting of a game controller port, a memory slot, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a FireWire™

port and a PCMCIA slot.

12. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 10, wherein said wireless receiver further comprises an additional communication port corresponding to the communication port in which the wireless receiver is inserted, said additional communication port providing the user with access to the communication port while being utilized by the wireless receiver.

13. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 11, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises infrared (IR).

14. The wireless controller in accordance with claim 11, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises radio frequency (RF).

15. A universal remote control device for wirelessly controlling a plurality of different controllable devices including non-game functions of a video game console, the universal remote control device comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of code sets corresponding to a plurality of brands of controllable devices including the video game console;

a plurality of buttons for providing access to any one of the plurality of code sets and enabling an operation mode for controlling a selected controllable device, wherein a predetermined set of said plurality of buttons are activated for each operation mode, and at least one of said operation modes includes the second entertainment mode of the video game console; and

a wireless receiver connected to one of said plurality of communication ports of the video game console for receiving wireless commands from the universal remote when in said operation mode for controlling the non-game functions of the video game console, and

wherein said universal remote control device has an absence of control over game functions of the video game console at all times and in all of said operation modes.