Video game system and game controller

• US 7,625,285 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joel S. Breving
• Original Assignee: Joel S. Breving
• Inventors: Breving, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/878,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20040229692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• 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

Abstract

Game controllers having a communication link to a game systems, a processor, and a photoelectric plethysmography, a galvanometer, or a thermocouple. Video game systems having a video game processor, a computer readable medium containing executable instructions for providing a video game and the game controller.

Claims

1. A handheld video gaming system comprising:

a shell;

a video display;

a computer readable medium containing executable instructions for providing a video game;

a video processor;

one or more biofeedback devices incorporated into the shell of the handheld video gaming system;

a speaker;

a communication link; and

a respiratory voice sensor;

wherein the speaker and the respiratory voice sensor are in electrical communication with the communication link and wherein the respiratory voice sensor comprises a thermocouple and a microphone.

2. The handheld video gaming system of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple comprises a polyvinylidine fluoride thermocouple.

3. The handheld video gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a) a circuit board;

b) one or more input adapters in communication with the circuit board, wherein the input adapters are configured to carry data from at least two distinct data types;

c) an analog to digital converter in communication with the circuit board;

d) one or more shift registers in communication with the circuit board;

e) a serial to parallel converter in communication with the circuit board; and

f) a microprocessor in communication with the circuit board and a software input module;

wherein the two distinct data types comprise manual controller data and physiological data.

4. The handheld video gaming system of claim 3, further comprising a network connection, wherein the network connection allows the handheld video gaming system to send and receive information to and from other video game systems.

5. The video game system of claim 4, wherein the software input module is located on a client computer or a server computer.

6. A video game system comprising:

a) a video game processor;

b) a computer readable medium containing executable instructions for providing a video game;

c) a microprocessor in communication with the video game processor;

d) one or more input adapters in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the input adapters are configured to carry data from at least two distinct data types, and further wherein the data types comprise physiological data from a game player and conventional controller data;

wherein the microprocessor comprises executable instructions for dynamically determining a “

z”

value which represents the number of running standard deviations the physiological data is away from a calculated running mean of the physiological data;

wherein the executable instructions further comprise transmitting the “

z”

value dynamically to the video game processor; and

wherein the video game processor comprises executable instructions for comparing the “

z”

value against pre-determined “

z”

value thresholds and altering the output of the video game based on such comparison.

7. The video game system of claim 6, further comprising an earpiece, wherein the earpiece is comprised of:

a speaker;

a communication link; and

a respiratory voice sensor;

wherein the speaker and the respiratory voice sensor are in electrical communication with the communication link.

8. The video game system of claim 7, wherein the respiratory voice sensor comprises a thermocouple and a microphone.

9. The video game system of claim 8, wherein the thermocouple comprises a polyvinylidine fluoride thermocouple.

10. A method for providing player physiological data to a video gaming system software input module, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a) receiving input data through an input adapter on the video gaming system, wherein the input data comprises multiple unprocessed physiological data points;

b) transforming the unprocessed physiological data from an analog form to a digital form utilizing an analog to digital converter;

c) collecting the digital form of the physiological data on a shift register, wherein the physiological data is collected serially;

d) converting the serial physiological data into a parallel form;

e) delivering the parallel form of the physiological data to a data bus;

f) transferring the parallel physiological data on the parallel data bus to a microprocessor;

g) relaying the parallel physiological data to a ROM unit, wherein the ROM unit stores the parallel physiological data;

h) accessing the ROM unit utilizing a RAM unit to perform pre-defined calculations of the parallel physiological data;

i) calculating a “

z”

value for the parallel physiological data utilizing a running mean and running standard deviation of the parallel physiological data;

j) transferring the “

z”

value to a shift register in a serial manner;

k) converting the serial “

z”

value to a parallel form of the “

z”

value;

l) transferring the parallel form “

z”

value to a microprocessor; and

m) relaying the parallel form “

z”

value from the microprocessor to a software input module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step m) is performed by relaying the parallel form “

z”

value to a software input module located on a client computer or a server computer.