Game operating device
First Claim
1. A handheld controller for use in wirelessly communicating with an electronic game machine having an associated display screen, a first light emitting marker and a second light emitting marker in substantially horizontal alignment with said first light emitting marker and each mounted spaced from but in the vicinity of the display screen, said handheld controller comprising:
- an elongated housing having a longitudinal center axis, said housing defining an upper surface, a lower surface having a concave portion formed therein, a forward surface and a rearward surface;
a first manipulable game control switch disposed on the housing upper surface proximate said forward surface and substantially aligned with said longitudinal center axis, the housing being dimensioned and the first manipulable game control switch being positioned for manipulation of said first manipulable game control switch by contact with a thumb of a user'"'"'s single hand;
a second manipulable game control switch disposed within said concave portion, also substantially aligned with said longitudinal center axis, said housing being dimensioned and the second manipulable game control switch being positioned for manipulation by contact with an index finger of the user'"'"'s single hand;
said housing being dimensioned to be held by a palm and remaining middle, ring and small fingers of the user'"'"'s single hand while the thumb is in operational contact with said first manipulable game control switch and while the index finger is in operational contact with said second manipulable game control switch, the housing enclosing;
a processor;
an imaging device located in a forward end of said housing and including an image sensor for in use detecting light from the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker, said image device being operable to generate image data related to the positional coordinates of the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker, said imaging device being operable in use to generate image data to provide rotation-related input in response to the handheld controller being disposed such that the said imaging device is directed towards the first and second light emitting markers;
a three-axis linear accelerometer in communication with said processor and arranged within said housing for generating acceleration data along each of three axes to provide rotation-related input and to output acceleration data to said processor; and
a wireless communication device disposed within said housing operatively connected to said processor and adapted to transmit signals to the electronic game machine representing operational states of at least said first manipulable game control switch and said second manipulable game control switch, said image data and said acceleration data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A game operating device (controller) includes a longitudinal housing, and a holding portion held by hand to be wrapped by its palm it is formed in the housing. A direction switch is provided on an upper surface at a position where it can be operated by thumb of the hand holding the holding portion, and a start switch and a select switch are provided backward thereof. An X button 46 and a Y button are further arranged in line on the upper surface of the housing. An imaging information arithmetic unit is provided at a front end of the housing in a longitudinal direction in such a manner that an imaging device thereof is exposed from a front-end surface. A concave portion is formed on a lower surface at a position corresponding to the direction switch. The concave portion includes a valley and two inclined surfaces. An A button capable of being operated by index finger of the hand holding the holding portion is provided on the backward inclined surface. By processing an image signal obtained by imaging an infrared ray from LED modules by the imaging device, it is possible to obtain an operation signal varying according to a position and/or attitude of the controller.
543 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A handheld controller for use in wirelessly communicating with an electronic game machine having an associated display screen, a first light emitting marker and a second light emitting marker in substantially horizontal alignment with said first light emitting marker and each mounted spaced from but in the vicinity of the display screen, said handheld controller comprising:
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an elongated housing having a longitudinal center axis, said housing defining an upper surface, a lower surface having a concave portion formed therein, a forward surface and a rearward surface; a first manipulable game control switch disposed on the housing upper surface proximate said forward surface and substantially aligned with said longitudinal center axis, the housing being dimensioned and the first manipulable game control switch being positioned for manipulation of said first manipulable game control switch by contact with a thumb of a user'"'"'s single hand; a second manipulable game control switch disposed within said concave portion, also substantially aligned with said longitudinal center axis, said housing being dimensioned and the second manipulable game control switch being positioned for manipulation by contact with an index finger of the user'"'"'s single hand; said housing being dimensioned to be held by a palm and remaining middle, ring and small fingers of the user'"'"'s single hand while the thumb is in operational contact with said first manipulable game control switch and while the index finger is in operational contact with said second manipulable game control switch, the housing enclosing; a processor; an imaging device located in a forward end of said housing and including an image sensor for in use detecting light from the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker, said image device being operable to generate image data related to the positional coordinates of the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker, said imaging device being operable in use to generate image data to provide rotation-related input in response to the handheld controller being disposed such that the said imaging device is directed towards the first and second light emitting markers; a three-axis linear accelerometer in communication with said processor and arranged within said housing for generating acceleration data along each of three axes to provide rotation-related input and to output acceleration data to said processor; and a wireless communication device disposed within said housing operatively connected to said processor and adapted to transmit signals to the electronic game machine representing operational states of at least said first manipulable game control switch and said second manipulable game control switch, said image data and said acceleration data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A handheld controller for use in wirelessly communicating with an electronic game machine having an associated display screen, a first light emitting marker and a second light emitting marker in substantially horizontal alignment and each mounted spaced from but in the vicinity of the display screen, said handheld controller comprising:
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a housing having a forward end, a rearward end, a top surface, a bottom surface and side surfaces, and sized to be operated by one hand of a user, said housing having a length from said forward end to said rearward end that is greater, than a width defined by said side surfaces, a longitudinal pointing direction being defined as a direction extending from said forward end to said rearward end; at least one processor enclosed within said housing; a first user interface for generating coordinate position-related data for the first and second light emitting markers, said first user interface including an imaging device located in said housing forward end and including an image sensor for in use detecting light from the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker, said imaging device being operable to generate image data related to positional coordinates of the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker to provide rotation-related input, said imaging device being operable in use to generate image data in response to said handheld controller being disposed such that the longitudinal pointing direction of said handheld controller is directed towards the first and second light emitting markers; a second user interface for in use controlling video game play on the display screen of the electronic game machine, said second user interface being operable in use to the game play control signals in response to a user accelerating said handheld controller;
said second user interface including a three-axis linear accelerometer in communication with said at least one processor and arranged within said housing for detecting acceleration of said handheld controller along each of three axes and for generating acceleration data along each of the three axes, wherein one of the three axes is an axis in said longitudinal direction and wherein said acceleration data provides rotational-related input, said three-axis linear accelerometer being operable to output acceleration data to said at least one processor; anda wireless communication device disposed within said housing operatively connected to said at least one processor and operable in use to transmit game play-related signals to the electronic game machine including game play-related signals corresponding to said image data, and said acceleration data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A handheld controller for use in wirelessly communicating with an electronic game machine having an associated display screen, a first light emitting marker and a second light emitting marker each mounted spaced from but in the vicinity of the display screen, said handheld controller comprising:
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a housing sized to be operated by one hand of a user and having a longitudinal axis, at least one processor enclosed within said housing; an imaging device including a filter, a lens, and an image sensor for in use detecting light from the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker and for generating image data related to positional coordinates of the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker; said at least one processor including an image processing device coupled to said image sensor and operable in use to receive and process said image data related to the positional coordinates of the first light emitting marker and the second light emitting marker, and output processed image data to provide input related to rotation of the housing about said longitudinal axis; a three-axis linear accelerometer in communication with said at least one processor and arranged within said housing for detecting acceleration of the controller along each of three axes and for generating acceleration data along each of the said three axes to provide a rotation-related input and to output acceleration data to said at least one processor; and a wireless communication device disposed within said housing operatively connected to said processor and operable in use to transmit signals to the electronic game machine including said processed image data, and said acceleration data. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for operating a handheld controller for use in wirelessly communicating with an electronic game machine having an associated display screen, a first light emitting marker and a second light emitting marker each mounted spaced from but in the vicinity of the display screen, said handheld controller including an imaging device having an image sensor, and an inertial sensor, said method for operating a handheld controller comprising:
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generating image data related to positional coordinates of the first and second light emitting markers using said image sensor; processing said image data related to the positional coordinates of the first and second light emitting markers to provide a first rotation-related input; detecting motion of the controller using said inertial sensor; generating, in response to handheld controller motion and using said inertial sensor, a second rotation-related input; and wirelessly transmitting said first rotation-related input and said second rotation-related input to the electronic game machine. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification