Illuminating controller having an inertial sensor for communicating with a gaming system

• US 8,562,433 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Marks, Richard, Despande, Hrishikesh, Zalewski, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdi, Amara
• Application Number:
  US12/960,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20110074669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 463 36- 46
• 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 13/235 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 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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

A controller for use in interfacing with a computer game. The controller includes a handle having at least one button, and a spherically shaped object connected to only one end of the handle. The spherically shaped object is defined from a translucent plastic material. Further included as part of the controller is an inertial sensor or accelerometer. The accelerometer may, as defined herein, be part of an inertial sensor. The controller also has an illuminating means defined within the spherically shaped object. A circuit is provided for interpreting input data from the at least one button and the inertial sensor, and is configured for communicating data wirelessly. The circuit is further configured to interface with the illuminating means to trigger illumination of the spherically shaped object to switch from an un-illuminated color to an illuminated color.

Claims

1. A controller for interfacing with a computer program executed on a computing system that processes image data captured of an interfacing space that is defined in front of a display, the controller comprising:

a controller body having at least one button for communicating input data wirelessly to the computing system, the controller body configured to be held by a hand of a user, the controller body further including an accelerometer for sensing translational and rotational movement;

a spherical object connected to one end of the controller body, the spherical object defined from a translucent material; and

illumination means for illuminating the spherical object from within the spherical object, the illumination means configured to light up the translucent material in one or more colors;

wherein the controller body includes wireless communication circuitry;

wherein the illumination means is defined from a light emitting diode (LED) device;

wherein the LED device is activated depending on data received from the computing system during execution of the computer program, the activation occurring in response to an action interpreted by the computer program during execution.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the computer program is an interactive video game.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller body includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the USB connector is integrated into the controller body at an opposite end from the end having the spherical object.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller body is a handle, and the handle is defined from a plastic material.

6. An interfacing device for communicating with a computer program executed on a computing system, the interfacing device comprising:

a controller body having at least one button and an inertial sensor for communicating data wirelessly to the computing system, the controller body having a shape for holding by a human hand;

an object connected to one end of the controller body, the object defined from a translucent material; and

illumination means for illuminating the object from within the object, the illumination means configured to brighten the translucent material;

wherein the illumination means is defined from a light emitting diode (LED) device;

wherein the LED device is activated depending on data received from the computing system during execution of the computer program, the activation occurring in response to an action interpreted by the computer program during execution.

7. The interface object of claim 6, wherein the inertial sensor includes at least one or a combination of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a tilt sensor.

8. The interface object of claim 6, wherein the computer program is an interactive video game.

9. The interface object of claim 6, wherein the controller body includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

10. The interface object of claim 9, wherein the USB connector is integrated into the controller body at an opposite end from the end having the object.

11. The interface object of claim 6, wherein the controller body is a handle, and the handle is defined from a plastic material.

12. The interface object of claim 6, wherein the object is one of a sphere, a dome, a partial sphere or dome, a cube, a pyramid, or a half cube.

13. The interface object of claim 6, further comprising a vibration feedback device defined as part of the interface object.

14. A controller, comprising;

a handle having at least one button;

a spherically shaped object connected to only one end of the handle, the spherically shaped object defined from a translucent plastic material;

an inertial sensor;

an illuminating means within the spherically shaped object;

a circuit for interpreting input data from the at least one button and the inertial sensor and for communicating data wirelessly, the circuit further configured to interface with the illuminating means to trigger illumination of the spherically shaped object to switch from an un-illuminated color to an illuminated color;

wherein the illumination means is defined from a light emitting diode (LED) device;

wherein the LED device is activated depending on data received from a computing system, the activation occurring in response to an action interpreted by the computer program during execution.

15. The controller of claim 14, the controller further comprising a power source for driving the illuminating means and the circuit.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein the illuminated color is one or more colors and one or more levels of brightness.

17. The controller of claim 14, wherein the handle includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector at an opposite end from the end having the spherical object.

18. The controller of claim 14, wherein the handle is defined from a plastic material.

19. The controller of claim 14, wherein the inertial sensor includes at least one or a combination of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a tilt sensor.