Electronic sword game with input and feedback

• US 7,871,330 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kico Sound LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Woolston, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US11/772,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20080014834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/23 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 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• 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 2300/8029 : Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 : Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

An electro-mechanical device for providing an input to a computer program and said computer program providing a tactile output through said electro-mechanical device to a user. More specifically, the present invention provides an electro-mechanical virtual sword game apparatus that receives positional information from sensors on the sword apparatus and the sword apparatus contains a propulsion gyrostat that under the control of a computer process may be topple to provide a torque on the housing of the sword apparatus that may be used to simulate the impact of sword blows.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an input device configured to receive external input;

an output device comprising a gyrostat; and

a controller configured to selectively topple the gyrostat to provide an external sensation based, at least in part, on the external input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gyrostat is disposed in a housing, and further comprising:

at least one sensor capable of receiving position information of the housing; and

at least one motor capable of toppling a flywheel based, at least in part, on the position information of the housing in response to a toppling event.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a circuit capable of receiving a control signal indicative of the toppling event, and the circuit further capable of transmitting the control signal to the at least one motor.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a circuit capable of receiving a wireless control signal indicative of the toppling event, and the circuit further capable of transmitting the wireless control signal to the at least one motor.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the toppling of the flywheel by the at least one motor is capable of imparting a torque generated by the flywheel on the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one toppling event sensor capable of sensing the toppling event based, at least in part, on an acceleration of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an audio circuit capable of causing a speaker to generate an audio output responsive to the toppling event.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises at least one of a sword, gun, bazooka, knife, hammer, axe, or a combination thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the gyrostat comprises at least one gimbal in which the flywheel is mounted, the at least one gimbal capable of providing at least one degree of freedom for the flywheel, and further comprising:

a clutch capable of temporarily locking an axis of the at least one gimbal during the toppling event.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving external input;

means for providing an external sensation based, at least in part, on the external input received, the means for providing the external sensation comprising a gyrostat; and

means for selectively toppling the gyrostat.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the gyrostat is disposed in a housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for receiving position information of the housing; and

means for toppling a flywheel based, at least in part, on the position information of the housing in response to a toppling event.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for receiving a control signal indicative of the toppling event; and

means for transmitting the control signal to the means for toppling.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for receiving a wireless control signal indicative of the toppling event; and

means for transmitting the wireless control signal to the means for toppling.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the toppling of the flywheel by the at least one means for toppling is capable of imparting a torque generated by the flywheel on the housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for sensing the toppling event based, at least in part, on an acceleration of the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for generating an audio output responsive to the toppling event.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises at least one of a sword, gun, bazooka, knife, hammer, axe, or a combination thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the gyrostat comprises at least one gimbal in which the flywheel is mounted, the at least one gimbal capable of providing at least one degree of freedom for the flywheel, and further comprising:

means for temporarily locking an axis of the at least one gimbal during the toppling event.

20. A method, comprising:

determining with a controller a toppling event based, at least in part, on a position of a housing; and

transmitting by the controller a toppling event signal to the housing, the toppling event signal indicative of a torque to be applied to the housing.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the controller receiving a position signal indicative of a position of the housing.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the position signal as a wireless signal.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the toppling event signal as a wireless signal.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising the controller generating the toppling event signal based, at least in part, on the determining.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the generating comprises:

determining a velocity vector of the housing based, at least in part, on the position of the housing;

calculating a magnitude of the toppling event based, at least in part, on the velocity vector; and

encoding the magnitude of the toppling event in the toppling event signal.

26. An article comprising a non-transitory tangible storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, if executed in a controller, result in:

determining a toppling event based, at least in part, on a position of a housing; and

transmitting a toppling event signal to the housing, the toppling event signal indicative of a torque to be applied to the housing.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in receiving a position signal indicative of a position of the housing.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in receiving the position signal as a wireless signal.

29. The article of claim 26, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in transmitting the toppling event signal as a wireless signal.

30. The article of claim 26, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in generating the toppling event signal based, at least in part, on the determining.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in:

determining a velocity vector of the housing based, at least in part, on the position of the housing;

calculating a magnitude of the toppling event based, at least in part, on the velocity vector; and

encoding the magnitude of the toppling event in the toppling event signal.