Universal game console controller

• US 8,187,095 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wong, Ling Jun, Pandya, Utkarsh, Rout, Biranchi Narayan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US12/190,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37, 463/46, 340/5.1, 340/5.32, 340/5.61, 340/10.1, 341/169, 341/173, 341/176
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller

Abstract

A universal game console controller that has an LCD presenting, depending on what type of game console a user has input, a controller key layout for a first type of game console or a controller key layout for a second type of game console.

Claims

1. A game console controller comprising:

a hand-holdable housing;

at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) on the housing,

the LCD caused to present, depending on what type of game console a user has selected, a first controller key layout for a first type of game console or a second controller key layout for a second type of game console, a key layout including plural keys selectable by a user to input commands to a game console, wherein the first controller key layout includes a navigation symbol that is cruciform in shape and that includes an up key, a down key, a left key, and a right key, the navigation symbol containing the up key, down key, left key, and right key within a closed cross-shaped border, wherein the first layout includes in a horizontal row a select key and a start key and below the select and start keys, L3 and R3 symbols, the first layout also including to the right of the select key and start key action keys arranged in a diamond configuration and respectively shaped as a square, an “

x”

, a circle, and a triangle and the second controller key layout includes at least a select key.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the LCD is caused to present a controller key layout for a third type of game console.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein a controller key layout for one and only one game console is presented at one time on the display.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a controller processor controlling the display, the controller processor receiving layout signals from a receiver and in response causing the display to present either the first or the second layout.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first layout includes navigation keys and action keys.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the second layout further includes a start key, action X, Y, A, and B being presented on a right part of the display.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the second layout includes, in a row from left to right, a “

previous menu”

key, an “

exit”

key, and a start key, keys X, Y, A, and B being presented in a box-like or cruciform-like arrangement on a right part of the display.

8. Apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one touch screen display responsive to signals from the processor to display a first game console key layout at a first time and a second game console key layout at a second time, wherein the first layout includes in a horizontal row a select key and a start key and below the select and start keys, L3 and R3 symbols, the first layout also including to the right of the select key and start key action keys arranged in a diamond configuration and respectively shaped as a square, an “

x”

, a circle, and a triangle, wherein the first game console key layout is selected responsive to a first game counsel being in communication with the processor at the first time and the second game console key layout is selected responsive to a second game counsel being in communication with the processor at the second time and wherein the second controller key layout includes at least a select key.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first layout includes navigation keys and action keys.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first layout includes a navigation symbol that is cruciform in shape and that includes an up key, a down key, a left key, and a right key.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second layout further includes a start key, action X, Y, A, and B being presented on a right part of the display.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second layout includes, in a row from left to right, a “

previous menu”

key, an “

exit”

key, and a start key, keys X, Y, A, and B being presented in a box-like or cruciform-like arrangement on a right part of the display.

13. Method comprising:

receiving input indicating which one from among at least first and second predetermined game console types is selected;

based on the input, causing a touch sensitive display to present a game console key layout associated with game console type indicated by the input, wherein a second layout is associated with the second predetermined game console type and includes a select key and a start key, action X, Y, A, and B being presented on a right part of the display, wherein the input indicates the first predetermined game console type at a first time and a first key layout is displayed in response, and wherein the input indicates the second predetermined game console type at a second time and a second key layout is displayed in response, a game console communicating with the display through a receiver and the first layout includes at least a select key.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first layout includes in a horizontal row the select key and a start key arid below the select and start keys, L3 and R3 symbols, the first layout also including to the right of the select key and start key action keys arranged in a diamond configuration and respectively shaped as a square, an “

x”

, a circle, and a triangle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second layout includes, in a row from left to right, a “

previous menu”

key, an “

exit”

key, and the second key, keys X, Y, A, and B being presented in a box-like or cruciform-like arrangement on a right part of the display.