Gaming device

• US 9,415,299 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelseries Aps
• Original Assignee: Steelseries Aps
• Inventors: Wikel, Harold, Rom, Kim, Mahlmeister, Jeffrey Nicholas, Wolff-Petersen, Jacob, Hawver, Bruce, Grever, Francis Arnold, Soelberg, Tino
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US13/888,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20140335957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range

Abstract

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, detecting movement of a cover of the device with respect to a body of the device, and determining, in response to detecting movement of the cover, that the device is ready for use. If the device is ready for use, a signal is transmitted to a computing device, and the computing device is directed to perform an initializing procedure for a gaming engine executing on the computing device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A gaming controller device comprising:

a gaming controller body;

a gaming controller cover;

a sensor;

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

detecting the cover of the device with respect to the body of the device;

determining, via the sensor, whether the device is ready for use, wherein the device is determined to be ready for use in response to detecting removal of the cover from a first position proximate to a top side of the body and subsequent placement of the cover in a second position proximate to a bottom side of the body; and

in accordance with the determining that the device is ready for use, performing further operations comprising;

transmitting a signal to a computing device indicating that the device is ready for use;

directing the computing device to perform an initializing procedure for a gaming engine executing on the computing device, wherein the initializing procedure comprises determining initial settings; and

directing the computing device to perform a search procedure, wherein the search procedure comprises querying availability of another device for playing a game.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a switch that is actuated in accordance with the placement of the cover in the second position.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein removal of the cover from the first position without placement of the cover in the second position corresponds to a standby state.

4. The device of claim 1,

wherein the first position corresponds to an OFF state of the device in which power is not supplied to components inside the body and control devices relating to the game are covered and accordingly not accessible to a user;

and

wherein the placement of the cover in the second position corresponds to the device entering a ready state where power is supplied to the components inside the body and the control devices are uncovered and accordingly accessible to the user.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the switch comprises a first electrical contact at the cover and a second electrical contact at the bottom side of the body.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the switch comprises a proximity sensor to sense proximity between the cover and the body.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the switch comprises a magnetic switch or a capacitive switch.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the initial settings comprise default settings for the gaming engine or a user profile accessible to the gaming engine.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a grip to facilitate handling of the device when the cover is in the second position and the device accordingly is in a ready state.

10. A computer-readable storage device communicatively coupled to a gaming controller device, the computer-readable storage device comprising instructions, which responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a gaming controller cover of the gaming controller device with respect to a body of the gaming controller device;

determining, in response to detecting placement of the cover proximate to a bottom side of the body, that the gaming controller device is ready for use; and

in accordance with the determining that the gaming controller device is ready for use, performing further operations comprising;

transmitting a signal to a computing device that the gaming controller device is ready for use; and

directing the computing device to perform an initializing procedure for a gaming engine executing on the computing device, wherein the initializing procedure comprises determining initial settings.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise directing the computing device to perform a search procedure, wherein the search procedure comprises querying availability of another device for playing a game.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the determining that the gaming controller device is ready for use further comprises detecting removal of the cover from a top side of the body.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the gaming controller device is determined to be ready for use in response to detecting proximity of the cover to the bottom side of the body by a proximity sensor.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a capacitive switch or a magnetic switch.

15. A method comprising:

detecting, by a device comprising a processor, a gaming controller cover of a gaming controller device with respect to a body of the gaming controller device;

determining, by the device, whether the gaming controller device is ready for use, wherein the gaming controller device is determined to be ready for use in response to detecting removal of the gaming controller cover from a top side of the body and subsequent placement of the gaming controller cover on a bottom side of the body; and

in accordance with the determining that the gaming controller device is ready for use,

transmitting, by the device, a signal to a computing device that the gaming controller device is ready for use; and

directing, by the device, the computing device to perform an initializing procedure for a gaming engine executing on the computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the placement of the cover on the bottom side of the body actuates a switch comprising an electrical contact or a proximity sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a capacitive switch or a magnetic switch.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in accordance with the determining that the gaming controller device is ready to use, directing the computing device to perform a search procedure, wherein the search procedure comprises querying availability of another device for playing the game.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the initializing procedure comprises determining initial settings for a game.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the initial settings comprise default settings for the gaming engine or a user profile accessible to the gaming engine.