Rumble motor movement detection

• US 9,039,531 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Plagge, Mark, Milluzzi, Andrew Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSEN, CARL VICTOR
• Application Number:
  US13/759,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20140221097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 31/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A control device comprises an electric motor and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive a signal from the electric motor and selectively change a state of the control device responsive to the signal.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

an electric motor;

an unbalanced weight positioned on a shaft of the electric motor; and

a controller configured to;

receive a signal from the electric motor, the signal being generated at electrical terminals of the electric motor during movement of the unbalanced weight on the shaft while the control device is in a low-power state in which the electric motor is not actively driven; and

selectively change a state of the control device responsive to the signal.

2. The control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter element operatively connected to the electric motor; and

a signal amplifier operatively connected to the filter element, wherein the signal from the electric motor is a voltage output of the electric motor while the control device is in a low-power state in which the electric motor is not actively driven, the filter element filters the voltage output, and the signal amplifier amplifies the filtered voltage output.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein selectively changing a state of the control device further comprises selectively changing from a low-power state to a normal state responsive to the signal.

4. The control device of claim 2, further comprising a comparator configured to:

receive an input voltage from the electric motor while the electric motor is not being actively driven, the input voltage being filtered by the filter element and amplified by the signal amplifier; and

compare the input voltage to a threshold voltage, wherein the signal received by the controller is a signal indicating a result of comparing the input voltage to the threshold voltage.

5. The control device of claim 1, further comprising a comparator configured to:

receive information representing a wave pattern of an output voltage of the electric motor while the electric motor is not being actively driven; and

compare the wave pattern to a predetermined wave pattern, wherein the signal received by the controller is a signal indicating a result of comparing the wave pattern to the predetermined wave pattern.

6. The control device of claim 2, further comprising a switch configured to selectively connect the electric motor to the filter element and the signal amplifier only during a low-power state of the control device.

7. The control device of claim 2, wherein the filter element is a noise reduction filter.

8. The control device of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is a brushed DC motor.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control device is a game controller.

10. In a controller of a control device, a method of changing a state of the control device, the method comprising:

while the control device is set in a low-power state, triggering an interrupt responsive to detecting from a motor of the control device a voltage that is greater than a threshold voltage, the voltage being generated during movement of an unbalanced weight on a shaft of the motor; and

setting the control device to a normal state responsive to the interrupt.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising setting the control device to the low-power state responsive to determining that a period of inactivity of the control device exceeds an inactivity threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising setting the motor to a sense mode in which the motor is communicatively connected to a filtering and amplification system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein setting the control device to a normal state further comprises setting the motor to a drive mode in which the motor is communicatively connected to a motor drive module.

14. A game controller, comprising:

a rumble motor;

a drive module configured to drive the rumble motor;

a signal filter configured to receive input from the rumble motor;

an amplifier configured to receive input from the signal filter;

a comparator configured to receive input from the amplifier; and

a controller configured to;

selectively connect the rumble motor to the drive module and the signal filter via a switching element responsive to a state of the game controller;

send an output signal to the drive module to drive the motor during a normal state; and

receive an input signal from the comparator to selectively change the state of the control device responsive to the input signal during a low-power state.

15. The game controller of claim 14, further comprising an unbalanced weight positioned on a shaft of the rumble motor, wherein a voltage is generated at electrical terminals of the rumble motor during movement of the unbalanced weight on the shaft while the control device is in a low-power state in which the rumble motor is not actively driven.

16. The game controller of claim 14, wherein selectively changing the state of the game controller further comprises selectively changing from the low-power state to the normal state responsive to the input signal.

17. The game controller of claim 14, wherein the comparator is configured to:

receive an input voltage from the rumble motor while the rumble motor is not actively driven, the input voltage being filtered by the signal filter and amplified by the amplifier; and

compare the input voltage to a threshold voltage, wherein the input signal received by the controller is a signal indicating a result of comparing the input voltage to the threshold voltage.

18. The game controller of claim 14, wherein the comparator is configured to:

receive information representing a wave pattern of an output voltage of the rumble motor while the rumble motor is not being actively driven; and

compare the wave pattern to a predetermined wave pattern, wherein the input signal received by the controller is a signal indicating a result of comparing the wave pattern to the predetermined wave pattern.

19. The game controller of claim 14, wherein the rumble motor is only connected to the drive module via the switching element during the normal state and the rumble motor is only connected to the signal filter via the switching element during the low-power state.