Gaming peripheral including releasably engageable release element

• US 8,672,759 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tandon, Vinod V., Zalewski, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): LIM, SENG HENG
• Application Number:
  US12/151,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20090280902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,142 Days
• Field of Search: 463/51
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A gaming peripheral for use during play of an electronic video game includes a releasably engageable release element which disengages in accordance with game play. Disengagement of the release element is selectably controllable and based on receipt of an electronic trigger signal transmitted from a gaming console on which the game is being played. The release element is engaged by a player applying a manual force to the peripheral.

Claims

1. A method of providing feedback via a peripheral, the method comprising:

manually moving a moveable part of a peripheral so as to engage the moveable part to a base of the peripheral, thereby creating tension between the part and the base, wherein the peripheral is in communication with a game console rendering a game;

activating a user input on the peripheral in response to information provided by the game console;

receiving a signal from the console to release the moveable part, wherein the signal is based on the state of the game and the activated user input; and

automatically releasing the part in response to the signal from the console.

2. The method of claim 1 further wherein the part is partially released from the base.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the direction in which the part is released depends on the signal received from the console.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the part represents an image displayed on a screen in communication with the game console, and the movement of the part corresponds with the movement of the image.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the game is a baseball game.

6. A method for playing a video game comprising:

providing a gaming peripheral including a releasably engageable release element, wherein the gaming peripheral is in communication with a game console rendering an electronic video game;

activating a user input on the gaming peripheral in response to information provided by the game console;

generating an electronic trigger signal to release the releasably engageable release element based on the activated user input; and

disengaging the release element based on receipt of the electronic trigger signal at the peripheral and in accordance with play of the electronic video game being rendered by the game console.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the disengaging further comprises setting the peripheral to a partially disengaged position.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the disengaging further comprises selectively controlling at least one of direction, extent and speed of movement of the release element.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

a player of the game applying a manual force to the peripheral for setting the peripheral to a fully engaged position.

10. A method of releasing a moveable part from a gaming peripheral, wherein the part was attached to the peripheral by a user and the attachment introduces tension between the part and the peripheral, comprising:

displaying a game to a user in accordance with instructions, the game being rendered by a game console;

receiving user input on the peripheral;

determining whether the moveable part should be released from the peripheral based on the instructions and the received user input; and

providing a signal to the peripheral to release the part.