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

• US 6,786,822 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arista Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arista Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Leifer, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II, John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US10/092,742
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36-39
• 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 13/235 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 system for a video game console having at least one communication port including game controller ports and at least two operation modes including (i) a first game mode capable of playing video games and (ii) a second entertainment mode capable of playing DVD videos, the wireless system comprising:

a wireless receiver having one end configured for insertion into one of said at least one of said communication ports of the video game console; 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 DVD player function control buttons, said dedicated DVD remote control transmitter wirelessly transmitting DVD player control commands to said wireless receiver for controlling DVD player functions of the video game console when in said second entertainment mode.

2. The wireless system according to claim 1, further comprising wireless communication protocol for communicating the DUD player control commands from said dedicated DVD remote control transmitter to said receiver, said wireless receiver converting received DVD player control commands into electrical signals for input into the one of said at least one communication port of the video game console.

3. The wireless system according to claim 2, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises infrared (IR).

4. The wireless system according to claim 2, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises radio frequency (RF).

5. The wireless system according to claim 2, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises a combination of IR and RF.

6. The wireless system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said 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.

7. The wireless system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless receiver further comprises an additional communication port corresponding to the at least one communication port in which the wireless receiver is inserted, said additional communication port providing the user with access to the at least one communication port being utilized by the wireless receiver.

8. The wireless system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless receiver obtains power from the game console via said at least one communication port.

9. The wireless system according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless game controller for wirelessly transmitting game control commands to said wireless receiver to control a game being played when the video game console is in said first game mode.

10. A wireless system for a video game console having at least one communication port and at least two operation modes including (i) a first game mode capable of playing video games and (ii) a second entertainment mode capable of playing DVD videos, the wireless system comprising:

a wireless receiver having one end configured for insertion into one of the at least one communication port of the video game console; and

a universal remote controller for wirelessly controlling a plurality of different controllable devices, said universal remote controller having an absence of control over game functions of the video same console at all times and having a code set corresponding to the second entertainment mode of the video game console.

11. The wireless system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one communication port 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 system according to claim 10, wherein said universal remote control further comprises:

a memory for storing at least one code set corresponding to at least one brand of controllable devices including the code set for controlling the second entertainment mode of the video game console; and

a plurality of buttons for providing access to any one of the at least one code set and enabling an operation mode for controlling a selected controllable device, said plurality of buttons including DVD player function control buttons for controlling the DVD player functions of the video game console when operating in the second entertainment mode.

13. The wireless system according to claim 12, further comprising 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 at least one communication port of the video game console.

14. The wireless system according to claim 13, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises infrared (IR).

15. The wireless system according to claim 13, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises radio frequency (RF).

16. The wireless system according to claim 13, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises a combination of IR and RF.

17. The wireless system according to 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 being utilized by the wireless receiver.

18. The wireless system according to claim 10, wherein said wireless receiver obtains power from the game console via said at least one communication port.

19. The wireless system according to claim 10, further comprising a wireless game controller for wirelessly transmitting game control commands to said wireless receiver to control a game being played when the video game console is operating in the first game mode.

20. A wireless system for a video game console having at least one communication port including game controller ports and at least two operation modes including (i) a first game mode capable of playing video games and (ii) a second entertainment mode capable of playing DVD videos, the wireless system comprising:

a wireless receiver having one end configured for insertion into said at least one communication port of the video game console, said wireless receiver being powered by the video game console through the at least one communication port; and

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

21. The wireless system according to claim 20, further comprising a wireless game controller for wirelessly transmitting game control commands to said wireless receiver to control a game being played when the video game console is operating in the first game mode.

22. A wireless system for a video game console having at least one communication port and at least two operation modes including (i) a first game mode capable of playing video games and (ii) a second entertainment mode capable of playing DVD videos, the wireless system comprising:

a wireless receiver having one end configured for insertion into the at least one communication port of the vide game console, said wireless receiver being powered by the video game console through the at least one communication port; and

a universal remote controller for wirelessly controlling a plurality of different controllable devices, said universal remote controller having an absence of control over game functions of the video game console at all times and having a code set corresponding to the second entertainment mode of the video game console.

23. The wireless system according to claim 22, further comprising a wireless game controller for wirelessly transmitting game control commands to said wireless receiver to control a game being played when the video game console is operating in the first game mode.

24. A wireless system for a video game console having at least one communication port including game controller ports and at least two operation modes including (i) a first game mode capable of playing video games and (ii) a second entertainment mode capable of non-game media, the wireless system comprising:

a wireless receiver having one end configured for insertion into one of said at least one of said communication ports of the video game console; 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 non-game media player function control buttons, said dedicated DVD remote control transmitter wirelessly transmitting non-game media player control commands to said wireless receiver for controlling the non-game media player functions of the video game console when in said second entertainment mode.

25. The wireless system according to claim 24, further comprising wireless communication protocol for communicating the non-game media player control commands from said remote control to said receiver, said wireless receiver converting received non-game media player control commands into electrical signals for input into the one of said at least one communication port of the video game console.

26. The wireless system according to claim 25, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises infrared (IR).

27. The wireless system according to claim 25, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises radio frequency (RF).

28. The wireless system according to claim 25, wherein said wireless communication protocol comprises a combination of IR and RF.

29. The wireless system according to claim 24, wherein said at least one of said 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.

30. The wireless system according to claim 24, wherein said wireless receiver further comprises an additional communication port corresponding to the at least one communication port in which the wireless receiver is inserted, said additional communication port providing the user with access to the at least one communication port being utilized by the wireless receiver.

31. The wireless system according to claim 24, wherein said wireless receiver obtains power from the game console via said at least one communication port.

32. The wireless system according to claim 24, further comprising a wireless game controller for wirelessly transmitting game control commands to said wireless receiver to control a game being played when the video game console is in said first game mode.