Expanding operating device and operating system

• US 8,384,565 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Urata, Masahiro, Tojo, Haruki, Wada, Jumpei, Takamoto, Junji, Wakitani, Noboru, Itou, Kuniaki, Ueki, Junpei, Ibuki, Masato, Suetake, Fumiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALSECA, FRANKLIN D
• Application Number:
  US12/219,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 341/173, 341/176, 341 20- 35, 463 30- 38
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 expanding operating device has a first connector, a second connector and a sensor. The first connector has a first shape physically and electrically connectable with a connector provided with an operating device. Thus, by connecting the first connector to the connector of the operating device, the expanding operating device can be used with the operating device as a single unit, which eventually adds the sensor to the operating device. On the other hand, the second connector has a second shape connectable with a connector with the first shape. This allows a connector conventionally connected to the connector of another operating device to be also connected with the second connector. Accordingly, if the connector of another device is connected to the second connector in a state that the first connector is connected to the connector of the operating device, the another device is eventually connected to the operating device via the expanding operating device.

Claims

1. An operation system comprising:

a first operating device including

a first housing taking a long shape and having a thickness capable of being held by a hand,

a first operating portion provided on a top surface of said first housing, said first operating portion being provided at a position that said first operating portion can be operated by a thumb of said hand,

a second operating portion provided on a bottom surface of said first housing, said second operating portion being provided at a position that said second operating portion can be operated by an index finger of the hand in a state where the thumb of the hand is put on said first operating portion,

a holding portion formed on said first housing, said holding portion being provided at a position that said holding portion can be held by a palm and other finger(s) of said hand in a state where said thumb and said index finger of said hand are respectively put on said first operating portion and said second operating portion,

a first acceleration sensor,

an imaging means provided at an end opposed to said holding portion of said first housing, and

a first connector provided at an end of said holding portion of said first housing; and

a second operating device including at least a second housing, a second connector connectable to said first connector, and a three-axis gyro sensor, wherein an operation is performed by connecting said second operating device to said first operating device,

wherein said second operating device further includes a third connector, further comprising

a third operating device including a fourth connector connectable with said third connector, a third housing, a second acceleration sensor, and a stick capable of inputting a direction, wherein

an operation is performed by connecting said third operating device to said second operating device.

3. An operation system according to claim 1, wherein

said third operating device includes said second acceleration sensor and said stick inside said third housing, and said third housing and said fourth connector are connected via a bendable cable.

4. An operation system according to claim 1, wherein

said fourth connector has a shape connectable with said first connector in place of said third connector.

2. An operation system comprising:

a first operating device including

a first housing taking a long shape and having a thickness capable of being held by a hand,

a first operating portion provided on a top surface of said first housing, said first operating portion being provided at a position that said first operating portion can be operated by a thumb of said hand,

a second operating portion provided on a bottom surface of said first housing, said second operating portion being provided at a position that said second operating portion can be operated by an index finger of the hand in a state where the thumb of the hand is put on said first operating portion,

a holding portion formed on said first housing, said holding portion being provided at a position that said holding portion can be held by a palm and other finger(s) of said hand in a state where said thumb and said index finger of said hand are respectively put on said first operating portion and said second operating portion,

a first acceleration sensor,

an imaging means provided at an end opposed to said holding portion of said first housing, and

a first connector provided at an end of said holding portion of said first housing; and

a second operating device including at least a second housing, a second connector connectable to said first connector, and a three-axis gyro sensor, wherein an operation is performed by connecting said second operating device to said first operating device,

further comprising

a third operating device including a third housing, a second acceleration sensor, and a stick capable of performing a direction input, wherein

an operation is performed by connecting said third operating device to said second operating device via a wireless communication.

5. An expanding operating device utilized in an operation system in claim 2 as said second operating device, including said second connector, said second housing, and said gyro sensor.

6. An operation system according to claim 2 wherein said second operating device further includes a output data controlling means for performing a control of data to be output to said first operating device via said second connector, and

said first operating device further includes a communicating means for transmitting at least data on the basis of outputs from said first operating portion, said second operating portion, said first acceleration sensor and said imaging means, and data output from said second operating device via said second connector.

7. An operation system comprising:

a first operating device including

a first housing taking a long shape and having a thickness capable of being held by a hand,

a first operating portion provided on a top surface of said first housing, said first operating portion being provided at a position that said first operating portion can be operated by a thumb of said hand,

a second operating portion provided on a bottom surface of said first housing, said second operating portion being provided at a position that said second operating portion can be operated by an index finger of the hand in a state where the thumb of the hand is put on said first operating portion,

a holding portion formed on said first housing, said holding portion being provided at a position that said holding portion can be held by a palm and other finger(s) of said hand in a state where said thumb and said index finger of said hand are respectively put on said first operating portion and said second operating portion,

a first acceleration sensor,

an imaging means provided at an end opposed to said holding portion of said first housing, and

a first connector provided at an end of said holding portion of said first housing; and

a second operating device including at least a second housing, a second connector connectable to said first connector, and a three-axis gyro sensor, wherein an operation is performed by connecting said second operating device to said first operating device,

wherein

said second operating device further includes a third connector, further comprising a third operating device including a fourth connector connectable to said third connector, a third housing, a second acceleration sensor, and a stick capable of inputting a direction, and connecting said third operating device to said second operating device to perform an operation, and

said communicating means further transmits data output from said third operating device via said fourth connector.

8. An operation system according to claim 7, wherein

said second operating device further includes

a bus switch for directly connecting a line on a side of said third connector to a side of said second connector, and

a bus switch controlling means for switching said bus switch between on and off, and

the line on the side of said third connector is connected to the side of said second connector via said output data controlling means when said bus switch is turned off.

9. An operation system according to claim 8, further comprising

a gyro sensor power managing means for switching a power supply to said gyro sensor between on and off, wherein

said bus switch controlling means turns the connection of said bus switch on when the power source of said gyro sensor is turned off.

10. An operation system according to claim 9, wherein

said second operating device further includes a connection detecting means for detecting whether or not said third operating device is connected to said third connector, and

said output data controlling means alternately outputs first data input from said third operating device and second data based on the output from said gyro sensor to said first operating device when the connection of said bus switch is turned off, and said third operating device is connected to said third connector.

11. A controller arrangement comprising:

a housing dimensioned and structured to be capable of being grasped by a single human hand, said housing defining top and bottom surfaces and a front portion;

a first operating portion disposed on the top surface of said housing, said first operating portion being disposed at a position such that said first operating portion can be operated by a thumb of said hand when said hand grasps said housing,

a second operating portion provided on the bottom surface of said housing, said second operating portion being provided at a position such that said second operating portion can be operated by an index finger of the hand in a state when the hand grasps said housing and the thumb of the hand contacts said first operating portion,

a holding portion being formed on said housing, said holding portion being provided at a position such that said holding portion can be grasped by a palm and other finger(s) of said hand when said thumb and said index finger of said hand are respectively contacting said first operating portion and said second operating portion,

an acceleration sensor disposed in the housing,

a gyrosensor structured to move with the housing, the gyrosensor being configured in accordance with gyro sensor command signals and providing yaw, roll and pitch angular velocity data;

an infrared imaging device provided at the housing front portion,

a radio receiver within the housing, the radio receiver receiving the gyro sensor command signals and communicating the gyro sensor command signals to the gyro sensor, and

a first connector,

wherein the first connector permits the controller arrangement to interoperate with a further device comprising at least a further housing and a second connector connectable to said first connector, said further device including an inertial sensor disposed within the further housing, wherein an operation can be performed by connecting said further operating device to the controller arrangement via the first and second connectors.

12. The controller arrangement of claim 11 wherein said bottom surface forms at least part of said holding portion.

13. The controller arrangement of claim 11 wherein the further device comprises a further handheld device connectable via a cable.

14. The controller arrangement of claim 11 wherein the further device comprises a module that mounts to the housing by mating the first and second connectors.

15. The controller arrangement of claim 14 wherein the gyrosensor is disposed in said module.

16. The controller arrangement of claim 11 wherein the first operating portion comprises a cross switch and the second operating portion comprises a trigger switch.

17. The controller arrangement of claim 11 wherein the acceleration sensor measures linear acceleration, the gyrosensor measures angular rate, and the imaging device produces coordinates based on infrared markers.

18. A handheld controller for use with a game application, comprising:

a housing dimensioned and structured to be grasped and held by the hand, said housing defining top and bottom surfaces and a front portion;

a first operating control disposed on the top surface of said housing, said first operating control being disposed at a position such that the thumb of said hand can operate said first operating control while said hand is grasping said housing,

a second operating control provided on the bottom surface of said housing, said second operating portion being provided at a position such that an index finger of the hand can operate the second operating control when the hand grasps said housing and the thumb of the hand operates said first operating control,

a radio transceiver disposed within the housing;

an acceleration sensor disposed within the housing that measures linear acceleration of the housing,

a gyrosensor that measures yaw, roll and pitch angular velocity data of the housing;

a controller coupled to the gyrosensor and the radio receiver that selectively resets the gyrosensor in response to signals the radio receiver receives from the game application; and

an electrical connector structured to pluggably interoperate the controller with a further handheld device mateable with said connector.

19. The controller as in claim 18 wherein said further handheld device includes an additional inertial sensor that interoperates with the game application via the radio transceiver, the radio transceiver wirelessly sending acceleration signals measured by the acceleration sensor and angular rate signals measured by the gyrosensor to the game application.

20. The controller as in claim 18 wherein the further handheld device includes a further connector, and the first-mentioned connector includes mechanical pawls that mechanically secure the further connector.

21. The handheld controller of claim 18 wherein the further device comprises a further handheld device connected to the connector via a cable.

22. The handheld controller of claim 18 wherein the further device comprises a module that mounts to the housing upon mating with the connector.

23. The handheld controller of claim 21 wherein the gyrosensor is disposed in said module.

24. The handheld controller of claim 18 wherein the first operating control comprises a cross switch and the second operating control comprises a trigger switch.

25. The handheld controller of claim 18 wherein the imaging device produces coordinates based on infrared markers.

26. The handheld controller of claim 18 further including an infrared imaging device provided at the housing front end.

27. The handheld controller of claim 18 further including a holding portion provided by the housing bottom surface at a position on the housing such that a palm and other finger(s) of said hand can grasp said holding portion while said thumb and said index finger of said hand are respectively operating said first operating control and said second operating control.

28. A handheld controller for use with a game application, comprising:

a housing dimensioned and structured to be grasped and held by the hand, said housing defining top and bottom surfaces and a front portion;

a first operating control disposed on the top surface of said housing, said first operating control being disposed at a position such that the thumb of said hand can operate said first operating control while said hand is grasping said housing,

a second operating control provided on the bottom surface of said housing, said second operating portion being provided at a position such that an index finger of the hand can operate the second operating control when the hand grasps said housing and the thumb of the hand operates said first operating control,

an acceleration sensor that measures linear acceleration,

a gyrosensor that measures yaw, roll and pitch angular velocity data;

a radio transceiver disposed within the housing that wirelessly reports said measured linear acceleration and said measured yaw, roll and pitch angular velocity data;

a controller coupled to the gyrosensor and the radio receiver, said controller selectively stopping, starting and/or resetting the gyrosensor in response to commands the radio receiver receives from the game application; and

an electrical connector structured to pluggably interoperate the controller with a further handheld device mateable with said connector.