Controller device and controller system

• US 8,814,680 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ashida, Kenichiro, Goto, Yositomo, Okamura, Takanori, Takamoto, Junji, Ibuki, Masato, Yamamoto, Shinji, Tsuchiya, Hitoshi, Suetake, Fumiyoshi, Suga, Akiko, Yamamoto, Naoya, Kumazaki, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/206,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20120108329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/30
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2402 Input by manual operation
• 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 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• 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 1/1632 : External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

An example device includes a generally plate-shaped housing, a display provided on the front side of the housing, analog sticks, an L button, and an R button. The analog sticks are provided respectively in left and right portions of the display above the center of the housing. The L button and the R button are provided on the back side of the housing so as to generally correspond to the analog sticks on the front side of the housing.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a generally plate-shaped housing;

a display section provided on a front side of the housing;

a first operation section and a second operation section provided respectively on a left side and a right side of the display section above a center of the housing; and

a third operation section and a fourth operation section provided on a back side of the housing so as to generally correspond respectively to the first operation section and the second operation section on the front side of the housing.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a projecting portion provided so as to project at least at left and right positions on the back side of the housing,

wherein the third operation section and the fourth operation section are provided on an upper surface of the projecting portion.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the projecting portion has an eaves-like shape extending in a left/right direction.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein a first engagement hole which can engage with an additional device separate from the controller device is provided on a bottom surface of the projecting portion.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein a second engagement hole which can engage with the additional device is provided on a lower surface of the housing.

6. A system comprising:

the device according to claim 5; and

an additional device including tab portions which can respectively engage with the first and second engagement holes, wherein the additional device is connected to the device as the tab portions engage with the first and second engagement holes.

7. A system comprising:

the device according to claim 5; and

a support device including a guide member which can be inserted into the second engagement hole, and a support member which supports a back surface of the housing at a predetermined angle when the guide member is inserted into the second engagement hole.

8. The device according to claim 2, further comprising protruding portions having a protruding cross section and provided in left and right portions on a back surface of the housing below the projecting portion.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the projecting portion and the protruding portions are spaced apart from each other.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising grip portions provided in left and right portions on a back surface of the housing.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first operation section and the second operation section are each a direction input section including a movable member which can be slid or tilted.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third operation section and the fourth operation section are keys which can be pressed.

13. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fifth operation section provided below the first operation section on a front side surface of the housing; and

a sixth operation section provided below the second operation section on the front side surface of the housing.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein:

the fifth operation section is a key configured to specify at least four directions of up, down, left and right; and

the sixth operation section includes a plurality of keys which can be pressed.

15. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a seventh operation section and an eighth operation section provided in left and right portions on an upper surface of the housing.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the seventh operation section and the eighth operation section are keys which can be pressed.

17. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a touch panel provided on a screen of the display section.

18. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an inertia sensor inside the housing.

19. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication section for wirelessly transmitting, to a game device, operation data representing an operation performed on the controller device itself.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein:

the communication section receives image data transmitted from the game device; and

the controller device further includes a display control section for displaying the received image data on the display section.

21. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a game process section for performing a game process based on an operation performed on the controller device itself; and

a display control section for producing a game image based on the game process and displaying the game image on the display section.

22. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display section includes a screen of 5 inches or larger.

23. A device comprising:

a generally plate-shaped housing;

a display provided on a front side of the housing;

a first operation section and a second operation section respectively provided on opposite sides of an upper portion of the display; and

a third operation section and a fourth operation section respectively provided on a back side of the housing substantially in correspondence with the first operation section and the second operation section.

24. The device according to claim 23, further comprising an inertial sensor.

25. The device according to claim 23, further comprising fifth and sixth operation sections respectively provided on a side portion of the housing.

26. The device according to claim 23, further comprising:

communication circuitry for wirelessly transmitting signals indicative of inputs to at least one of the first, second, third and fourth operation sections.

27. A system comprising the device of claim 26 and an image processing device comprising communication circuitry for receiving the signals transmitted by the device.