Advanced video controller system

• US 8,651,964 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Secretary of the Army
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Brick, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ROSS A
• Application Number:
  US11/313,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,982 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463 1- 6, 463/7, 463/8, 463/30, 463/36, 463/37, 434/11
• US Class Current: 463/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• 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 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A video control system has an accelerometer sensor connected to a microcontroller for imparting motion and orientation information to the microcontroller. An encoder/transmitter is connected to the microcontroller and converts a plurality of parallel signals from the microcontroller into a serial data stream which is wirelessly transmitted to a receiver/decoder which converts the serial data back to the original parallel signals. The receiver/decoder is connected to a keyboard encoder that is connected to the keyboard port of personal computer. The accelerometer sensor, microcontroller and encoder transmitter are adapted to be worn on a video player'"'"'s person. The system allows for a realistic experience in a video environment in which movement of the video player is replicated and appreciated on a video screen.

Claims

1. A video control system, comprising:

a two-axis accelerometer worn by a video game player;

a microcontroller connected to said two-axis accelerometer, receiving data transmitted by the two-axis accelerometer comprising pulse widths along a X-axis and a Y-Axis, said microcontroller determining a presently occurring posture position of said video game player by computing a normalized pulse width modulated percentage value of the X-axis and computing a normalized pulse width modulated percentage value of the Y-axis, without need of Z-axis percentage values, and comparing the normalized pulse width percentage values of the X-axis and Y-axis with known values for various posture positions so as to determine the presently occurring posture position of the video game player and generating posture control signals;

a game weapon having a plurality of direction sensors, said direction sensors sending direction signals indicative of the video game player'"'"'s direction of movement to said microcontroller;

an encoder connected to the microcontroller, said microcontroller sending said posture control signals in parallel with said direction signals to said encoder, said encoder converting said posture control signals and said direction signals so as to comprise a serial data stream;

a transmitter connected to said encoder, said transmitter transmitting said serial data stream;

a receiver, said receiver receiving said serial data stream from said transmitter;

a decoder for decoding the serial data stream signals received by the receiver into decoded parallel signals;

a keyboard encoder for receiving said decoded parallel signals from said decoder;

a computer having a keyboard port, said keyboard port being connected to said keyboard encoder; and

a viewing screen connected to said computer; and

wherein the presently occurring posture position of the video game player is replicated in a video environment portrayed on the viewing screen such that the viewing screen displays the video environment from a perspective corresponding to the actual physical posture of the video game player .

2. A video control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a zoom sight sensor mounted on the game weapon, said zoom sight sensors being in direct communication with said microcontroller; and

a look aim sensor mounted on said game weapon, said look aim sensor wirelessly transmitting look-aim data to a second receiver, said second receiver. connecting to a mouse port of said computer.

3. A video control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

an audio visual transmitter connected to a video card and a sound card of said computer, said audio visual transmitter wirelessly transmitting to an audio visual receiver said audio visual receiver connecting to said viewing screen which is a head mounted display.

4. A video control system according to claim 3, wherein:

said audio visual receiver, said microcontroller, said encoder and said transmitter are positioned within a backpack adapted for wear by said video game player.