Enhanced protocol and architecture for low bandwidth force feedback game controller

• US 8,117,364 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nielsen, Kurt Torben, Reas, Loren Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GEIB, BENJAMIN P
• Application Number:
  US11/939,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 710/5, 710/104
• US Class Current: 710/104
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• 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 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• 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 2300/1037 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 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

Haptic features are stored in a haptic device by preloading or otherwise downloading them, e.g., wirelessly, into the haptic device at the time of manufacture, immediately prior to game play, during game play, and/or at any other time. Haptic features may be activated, deactivated, modified or replaced at any time. All or a subset of the haptic features may be selected as an active play list, which may be modified as necessary. A host may manage some or all device memory and the haptic features stored therein. Haptic features stored in haptic devices and control information provided by the host are used by the haptic device to execute haptic effects. The haptic device may sustain haptic effects between control messages from the host. New communication messages may be added to an underlying communication protocol to support haptic effects. New messages may use header portions of communication packets as payload portions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an enhanced wireless communication protocol by redefining an existing wireless communication protocol that is used on a device; and

using the enhanced wireless communication protocol to transport information between the device and a host system, the information directed at generating in the device, one or more hitherto unsupported feedback effects of a haptic feature.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, the information transported over the enhanced wireless communication protocol comprises control information for executing the one or more hitherto unsupported feedback effects in accordance with the control information.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising:

enhancing, in accordance with the enhanced wireless communication protocol, the properties of the one or more existing feedback effects.

4. The method in accordance with claim 2, the control information comprising at least one of an enable command, a disable command, a start command, a stop command, a pause command, a continue command, or a reset command.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, the device being responsive to human input, the method further comprising:

selecting, in response to human input, a first feedback effect amongst the one or more hitherto unsupported feedback effects.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the device is a peripheral to the host system;

the peripheral comprises a game controller; and

the host system comprises one of a game console or a personal computer.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the host system manages at least a portion of a memory of the device for storing additional features for generating a plurality of haptic effects in the device.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing, in accordance with the enhanced wireless communication protocol, a status message to the host system in response to the provision of features and/or control information to the device.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing to the device a plurality of features indicative of a plurality of haptic effects;

storing, in a memory of the device, the provided features; and

providing to the device, in accordance with the enhanced wireless communication protocol, control information for controlling implementation of the stored features indicative of the haptic effects.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the enhanced wireless communication protocol specifies header and payload portions of communication packets different than those in the existing wireless communication protocol.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the enhanced wireless communication protocol includes messages absent from the existing communication protocol.

12. The method in accordance with claim 10, the method further comprising:

sending a message using as a payload portion at least a portion of the header portion of a communication packet specified by the existing wireless communication protocol.

13. A device for providing a haptic effect, the device comprising:

an input/output portion configured to receive via an enhanced wireless communication protocol, control information for a haptic feature, wherein the enhanced wireless communication protocol is a modified version of a pre-existing wireless communication protocol used on the device;

memory for storing the haptic feature; and

a processing portion configured to implement the haptic feature in accordance with the control information.

14. The device in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

the device is configured as a peripheral of a host system;

the peripheral comprises a game controller; and

the device is configured to permit the host system to manage at least a portion of the memory.

15. The device in accordance with claim 13, the enhanced wireless communication protocol subject to the pre-existing communication protocol, and the device is configured to provide a message to the host that uses as a payload portion at least a portion of the header portion of a communication packet specified by the pre-existing communication protocol.

16. The device in accordance with claim 14,

the enhanced wireless communication protocol

configured to provide a message to the host that is absent from the pre-existing communication protocol.

17. The device in accordance with claim 16, the host system engaging in message filtering, wherein the device is configured to evade the message filtering.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the steps of:

storing a haptic feature in device, the feature being provided to the device in accordance with an enhanced wireless communication protocol that is a redefined version of an existing wireless communication protocol used on the device; and

using the enhanced wireless communication protocol to receive information directed at generating in the device, one or more hitherto unsupported feedback effects of the haptic feature.