Programmable game-based haptic enabled gun controller

• US 9,504,914 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Ramsay, Erin, Modarres, Ali, Birnbaum, David M., Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Heubel, Robert W., Bartel, Hendrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUFFY, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US13/964,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• 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 13/428 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 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• 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 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/06 Recoil simulators

Abstract

Various systems, game controllers, and methods for simulating various objects such as weapons are provided. For example, a game controller may include a trigger, a processor within the body that receives a trigger signal when the trigger is activated by the user. The processor may communicate with a computer running a software program such as a gaming application, and an actuator coupled to the trigger, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the trigger in response to receiving a control signal from the processor. The game controller may simulate a gun and generate a recoil effect. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by impacting a moving mass from a discharge end of the gun to a handle end of the gun. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by using a body part of a user as a tether.

Claims

1. A method of generating a user-grounded recoil effect on a controller, the controller including a controller base and a grounding base, the method comprising:

detecting a trigger signal;

causing, by an actuator, a first vector force in a first direction, wherein the first vector force causes the recoil effect in the first direction from a discharge end of the controller base toward a user end of the controller base, wherein the actuator is coupled via a controller linkage to a controller anchor attached to the controller base, and wherein the actuator causes the first vector force by pulling the linkage and thus the controller anchor and the discharge end toward the user end of the controller;

causing a second vector force in a second direction opposite the first direction; and

causing the second vector force to be opposed by a body part of the user configured to be disposed adjacent the grounding base of the controller, thereby grounding the recoil effect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second vector force is imparted to the grounding base.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the body part of the user is coupled to a user engaging component of the grounding base.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vector force is imparted to the controller base that moves in response to first vector force, thereby causing the recoil effect.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the body part of the user is a forearm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is coupled via a grounding linkage to a grounding anchor attached to the grounding base and located toward the user relative to the actuator, and wherein the second vector force is caused by the actuator pulling the linkage and thus the grounding anchor towards the discharge end of the controller.