Game controller with pulse width modulation position detection

• US 9,084,934 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Goto, Teiyu, Saito, Katsu, Ohba, Akio, Segawa, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rowland, Steve
• Application Number:
  US14/083,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20140080607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37, 463/39
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/06 using player-operated means for controlling the position of a specific area display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• 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 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• 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 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• 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 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

A game controller includes a plurality of LEDs formed on the rear of a case. The plurality of LEDs are arranged two-dimensionally in its layout area. The game controller has a plurality of PWM control units which are provided inside the case and control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs, respectively. The PWM control units control the lighting of the LEDs based on a control signal from a game apparatus. The game apparatus acquires a captured image of the game controller, and acquires the position of the game controller in the captured image based on the positions of the LEDs in the captured image.

Claims

1. A game controller capable of communication with a game apparatus, the game apparatus including an imaging device, the game controller comprising:

a wireless communication module configured to transmit a user'"'"'s operation inputs to the game apparatus input via a plurality of input units provided on a top or rear of a case;

a light-emitting element provided on the rear of the case; and

a processing unit configured to cause the light-emitting element to emit light so as to allow the user to identify the game controller, wherein the processing unit includes a PWM control unit that operates to light the light-emitting element,

wherein the light-emitting element caused by the processing unit to emit light is imaged by the imaging device and used by the imaging device to detect a position of the game controller.

2. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element is provided at least at a center of the rear of the case.

3. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit causes the light-emitting element to emit light in response to a control signal received from the game apparatus to control lighting of the light-emitting element.