Base station for position location

• US 8,393,964 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Huang, Ennin, Zalewski, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Such, Matthew W
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARPENTER, ROBERT K
• Application Number:
  US12/463,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/37
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• 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 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/30 characterized by output arrangements for receiving control signals generated by the game device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 : using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 : specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 : Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 : characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 : generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 : involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system to interface with a game console to control a video game is disclosed. The system includes a game console and a base station that is interfaced with the game console. The base station has processing circuitry that is configured to send and receive data between the base station and the game console. The base station is also configured to process position data. The system also includes a controller that is interfaced with the base station. The controller has hardware to process movement data of the controller and communicate the movement data to the base station. The base station processes the position data of the controller, and relays the position data from the base station to the game console to determine a relative position of the controller to the base station. Wherein changes in the relative position of the controller facilitate interactive control with the video game.

Claims

1. A system to interface with a game client to control a video game, comprising:

a game client;

a base station being interfaced with the game client, the base station having processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to send and receive data between the base station and the game client, the base station further configured to process position data; and

a controller being interfaced with the base station, the controller having hardware to process movement data of the controller and communicate the movement data to the base station, the base station processing the movement data of the controller, the position data being relayed from the base station to the game client to determine a relative position of the controller to the base station, wherein changes in the relative position of the controller facilitate interactive control with the video game;

wherein the controller is further interfaced directly with the game client so as to wirelessly communicate input data generated by one or more inputs of the controller to the game client without communicating with the base station.

2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the controller further communicates the movement data to the game client without communicating with the base station.

3. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the base station further includes,

light emitting circuitry, the light emitting circuitry projecting light from the base station.

4. The system as described in claim 3, wherein the base station further includes,

alignment circuitry, the alignment circuitry configured to define a reference plane that is used to determine the position of the controller relative to the reference plane.

5. The system as described in claim 4, wherein the light emitting circuitry projects a reference light to visually illustrate the reference plane of the base station.

6. The system as described in claim 3, wherein the light emitting circuitry provides visual feedback based on the relative position of the controller to the base station.

7. The system as described in claim 3, wherein the light emitting circuitry provides visual feedback based on events within the video game.

8. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more inputs of the controller include one or more of a button, or a joystick, or a motion sensor.

9. A system to interface with a game client to control a video game, comprising:

a game client;

a base station being interfaced with the game client, the base station having processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to send and receive data between the base station and the game client, the base station further configured to process position data; and

a controller being interfaced with the base station, the controller having hardware to process movement data of the controller and communicate the movement data to the base station, the base station processing the movement data of the controller, the position data being relayed from the base station to the game client to determine a relative position of the controller to the base station, wherein changes in the relative position of the controller facilitate interactive control with the video game;

light emitting circuitry, the light emitting circuitry projecting light from the base station;

alignment circuitry, the alignment circuitry configured to define a reference plane that is used to determine the position of the controller relative to the reference plane.

10. The system as described in claim 9, wherein the light emitting circuitry projects a reference light to visually illustrate the reference plane of the base station.

11. The system as described in claim 9, wherein the light emitting circuitry provides visual feedback based on the relative position of the controller to the base station.

12. The system as described in claim 9, wherein the light emitting circuitry provides visual feedback based on events within the video game.

13. A system to interface with a game client to control a video game, comprising:

a game client;

a base station being interfaced with the game client, the base station having processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to send and receive data between the base station and the game client; and

a controller being interfaced with the base station, the controller having hardware to sense movement data of the controller and communicate the movement data to the base station, the base station processing the movement data of the controller to generate position data defining a relative position of the controller to the base station, the position data being relayed from the base station to the game client, wherein changes in the relative position of the controller facilitate interactive control with the video game, wherein the controller is configured to communicate input data generated by an input of the controller to the game client without communicating with the base station;

light emitting circuitry, the light emitting circuitry projecting light from the base station, the light emitting circuitry providing visual feedback indicating the relative position of the controller to the base station.

14. The system as described in claim 13, wherein the light emitting circuitry is configured to shift the visual feedback in accordance with movement of the controller.

15. The system as described in claim 13, wherein the input of the controller is one of a button, or a joystick, or a motion sensor.