Strum input for a video game controller

• US 7,973,234 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Jamie Jien-Mei, Tam, Johnnie
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Millikin; Andrew R
• Application Number:
  US12/778,488
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 846/00, 847/23, 847/43, 847/37, 847/39, 846/45, 846/46, 200/43.13, 200/43.18, 200/412, 162/62, 292/281, 267/72, 267/150, 745/26, 745/27, 446/408, 273/148.R, 273/148.B, 273/460, 463/36, 463/37
• US Class Current: 84/743
• 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 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/342 for guitar-like instruments with or without strings and with a neck on which switches or string-fret contacts are used to detect the notes being played electric guitars in which the tones are generated by the vibration of strings G10H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces game background music G10H2210/026; musical game scoring or performance evaluation G10H2210/091
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/135 Spint guitar, i.e. guitar-like instruments in which the sound is not generated by vibrating strings, e.g. guitar-shaped game interfaces

Abstract

A video game controller includes: a string instrument-shaped housing comprising a body portion and a neck portion, said body portion including a opening; a console interface for coupling with a game console; and a strum interface coupled to the console interface. The strum interface includes: a pin having a central portion and distal end portions; a pin support structure for supporting the distal end portions of the pin; a strum bar comprising a body portion rotatably coupled to the central portion of the pin and a flange portion protruding from the opening in the housing; a compressible liner provided between at least a portion of the strum bar and the pin; an upper button positioned adjacent the strum bar so as to be depressed when the strum bar is rotated in a first direction; and a lower button positioned adjacent the strum bar so as to be depressed when the strum bar is rotated in a second direction.

Claims

1. A game controller, comprising:

a string instrument-shaped housing comprising a body portion and a neck portion, said body portion including an opening;

a console interface for data coupling with a game console;

a strum interface coupled to the console interface, comprising;

a pin having a central portion and distal end portions;

a pin support structure for supporting the distal end portions of the pin;

a strum bar comprising a body portion rotatably coupled to the central portion of the pin and a flange portion protruding from the opening in the housing;

an upper button positioned adjacent the strum bar so as to be depressed when the strum bar is rotated in a first direction, said upper button configured to provide an audible click when depressed; and

a lower button positioned adjacent the strum bar so as to be depressed when the strum bar is rotated in a second direction, said lower button configured to provide an audible click when depressed.

2. The game controller of claim 1, wherein:

said housing is guitar-shaped.

3. The game controller of claim 1, wherein:

said upper button and said lower button provide a tactile and audible feedback when closed.

4. The game controller of claim 1, wherein:

said upper button and said lower button provide a counterforce when depressed by the strum bar, said counterforce increasing as either the upper or lower buttons are compressed to closure of a respective switch of the upper and lower buttons, and decreasing after the respective switch is closed.

5. The game controller of claim 1, wherein:

said neck portion further comprises a fretboard interface for coupling with the game console for detecting fretboard fingering by a user.

6. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising:

control logic coupled to the console interface and the strum interface for generating control signals in response to closure of a switch provided in each of the upper and lower buttons.

7. A game controller, comprising:

a string instrument-shaped housing comprising a body portion and a neck portion, said body portion including an opening;

a console interface for coupling with a game console;

a strum interface coupled to the console interface, comprising;

a strum bar comprising a body portion rotatably mounted in the housing and a flange portion protruding from the opening in the housing;

an upper button positioned adjacent the strum bar so as to be depressed when the strum bar is rotated in a first direction, said upper button including a first switch and providing a counterforce when depressed by the strum bar and configured to provide an audible click when depressed to closure of the first switch, said counterforce increasing as the upper button is compressed to closure of the first switch; and

a lower button positioned adjacent the strum bar so as to be depressed when the strum bar is rotated in a second direction, said lower button including a second switch and providing a counterforce when depressed by the strum bar and configured to provide an audible click when depressed to closure of the second switch, said counterforce increasing as the upper button is compressed to closure of the second switch.

8. The game controller of claim 7, wherein:

said housing is guitar-shaped.

9. The game controller of claim 7, wherein:

said upper button and said lower button provide an audible feedback when closed.

10. The game controller of claim 7, wherein:

said neck portion further comprises a fretboard interface for detecting fretboard fingering by a user, the fretboard interface coupled to the console interface.

11. The game controller of claim 7, further comprising:

control logic coupled to the console interface for generating control signals in response to closure of the first and second switches.

12. A method of operating a game system having a game controller, the game controller comprising a strum interface having a rotatable strum bar, one or more select buttons, a tremolo bar and a guitar-shaped housing having a neck portion having a fretboard and a body portion comprising an opening configured to engage the strum interface, the method comprising:

providing instructional cues to a game player, where the instructional cues are indicative of when to strum the strum bar;

resisting the movement of the strum bar;

providing an audible click from at least one button associated with the strum bar at time of closure of a switch of the at least one button indicative of the strum bar movement; and

generating points relating to a timing of the instructional cues and the movement of the strum bar by the game player, where the strum is responsive to the instructional cues.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising limiting the movement of the strum bar.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving information from at least one of the one or more buttons, the tremolo bar, and the fretboard.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising using a control logic to process information.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the resisting the movement of the strum bar provides tactile feedback to the game player.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving information indicative of a movement of the strum bar comprises detecting the movement of the strum bar using one or more switching devices, the switching devices providing resistance to the movement of the strum bar.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the resistance is provided using a spring.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing an audible click from the game controller indicative of the strum bar movement comprises detecting the movement of the strum bar using one or more switching devices, the one or more switching devices providing audible feedback when any of the one or more switch devices is depressed.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising modifying a sound responsive to actuation of the tremolo bar.