Polymorphic firearm controller

• US 9,180,365 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Torre, David P., Dimalanta, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US13/012,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20110275435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 463/5, 463/7, 463 36- 42, 463/47, 463 49- 57, 463 11- 13, 463/16, 463 17- 19, 463/20, 463/25, 463 26- 28, 463/30, 463/31, 434 11- 24
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• 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 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A game controller includes a first mock firearm action associated with a first weapon mode and a second mock firearm action associated with a second weapon mode. If first mock firearm action is enabled, it can generate a load command when the first mock firearm action is operated. If second mock firearm action is enabled, it can generate a load command when the second mock firearm action is operated. The game controller includes a mode selector, to enable the first mock firearm action when the game controller is in the first weapon mode and to enable the second mock firearm action when the game controller is in the second weapon mode.

Claims

1. A firearm game controller, comprising:

a plurality of manual mock firearm actions selected from a group of manual mock firearm actions consisting of a mock bolt action, a mock lever action, a mock break action, a mock pump action, and a mock revolver action, associated with a first weapon mode, to generate a load command when one of the plurality of manual mock firearm actions is operated by a user;

an automatic or semiautomatic mock firearm action, including an ammunition magazine holder having a detector for detecting the presence of a mock ammunition magazine, associated with a second weapon mode, to generate the load command when the ammunition magazine is inserted by the user into the ammunition magazine holder causing the detector to detect the presence of the mock ammunition magazine; and

a weapon mode selector to select the first weapon mode, to enable the one of the plurality of manual mock firearm actions when the one of the plurality of manual mock firearm actions is operated by the user and to select the second weapon mode, and to enable the automatic or semiautomatic mock firearm action when the presence of the mock ammunition magazine is detected in the ammunition magazine holder.

2. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a trigger, to generate a fire command; and

a recoil simulator, to generate a force feedback when the fire command is generated.

3. The game controller of claim 2, wherein the recoil simulator to generate a first force feedback when the game controller is in a first weapon mode and to generate a second force feedback when the game controller is in a second weapon mode.

4. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity sensor, to detect the presence of an object, wherein the game controller to generate a zoom command when the presence of the object is detected by the proximity sensor.

5. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker, to simulate sounds made by a first weapon associated with the first weapon mode when the first weapon mode is active and to simulate sounds made by a second weapon associated with the second weapon mode when the second weapon mode is active.

6. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the weapon mode selector to receive a weapon mode signal from a game, the weapon mode signal identifying one of the first weapon mode or the second weapon mode to activate, and to activate the one of the first weapon mode or the second weapon mode identified by the weapon mode signal.

7. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the weapon mode selector to receive a user selection of the one of the first weapon mode and the second weapon mode, to activate the selected weapon mode, and to send a signal to a game console identifying the selected weapon mode.

8. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface for receiving a motion sensitive game controller.

9. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more inertial sensors, wherein data from the one or more inertial sensors are sent to a computing device and used to control a character in a game.

10. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller body;

at least one of a mock scope or a mock gun sight attached to the controller body; and

a proximity sensor, disposed proximate to the mock scope or the mock gun sight, to detect the presence of a human body part, wherein the game controller to generate a zoom command when the presence of a human body part is detected by the proximity sensor.

11. The game controller of claim 10, wherein the presence of the human body part is detected by the proximity sensor when a user looks through the mock scope or the gun sight.

12. The game controller of claim 10, wherein the proximity sensor is disposed at the mock scope or the mock gun sight.

13. The game controller of claim 10, further comprising:

the weapon mode selector to enable the game controller to generate the zoom command only if the selected weapon mode includes a zoom function.

14. A method comprising:

sensing a user operating a one of a plurality of mock firearm actions by a firearm controller, the plurality of mock firearm actions comprising a plurality of manual mock firearm actions selected from a group of manual mock firearm actions consisting of;

a mock bolt action, a mock lever action, a mock break action, a mock pump action, and a mock revolver action, the one of the plurality of mock firearm actions associated with a first weapon mode, and generating a load command when one of the plurality of manual mock firearm actions is operated by the user;

sensing a user operating an automatic mock firearm action or a semiautomatic mock firearm action, including detecting a presence of a mock ammunition magazine in a mock ammunition magazine holder, the automatic mock firearm action and the semiautomatic mock firearm action associated with second weapon mode, and generating a load command when the ammunition magazine is inserted by the user into the ammunition magazine holder;

selecting via a weapon mode selector the first weapon mode, to enable the one of the plurality of manual mock firearm actions when the one of the plurality of manual mock firearm actions is operated by the user and to select the second weapon mode, and to enable the automatic or semiautomatic mock firearm action when the presence of the mock ammunition magazine is detected in the ammunition magazine holder.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a command to activate the one of the plurality of specified weapon modes by the firearm controller;

activating the one of the plurality of specified weapon modes by the firearm controller responsive to receiving the command to activate the one of the plurality of specified weapon modes; and

enabling the one of the plurality of mock firearm actions that is associated with the respective one of the plurality of specified weapon modes.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating a reload sound associated with the one of the specified weapon modes.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

sensing a trigger pull by the firearm controller;

generating a weapon fire signal and sending the weapon fire signal to a computing device; and

generating a force feedback having a strength and a force feedback pattern associated with the one of the specified weapon modes.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a presence of a human body part near at least one of a scope or gun sight included in the firearm controller;

generating a zoom command upon detecting the presence of the human body part; and

sending the zoom command to a computing device.