Illuminating controller for tracking during communicating with a gaming system

• US 10,143,920 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Marks, Richard, Deshpande, Hrishikesh, Zalewski, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US14/060,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20140045594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A controller is provided. The controller includes at least one button, an object integrated with a body, and the object defined from a translucent plastic material. Further included is an inertial sensor, an LED device defined to illuminate the object, and a circuit for interpreting input data from the at least one button and the inertial sensor and for communicating data wirelessly. The circuit further configured to interface with the LED device to trigger illumination of the LED to switch from an un-illuminated state to an illuminated color. The LED device is activated depending on data received from a computing system. The activation occurring in response to a state interpreted by the computer program during execution.

Claims

1. A controller for interfacing with a computer program executed on a computing system that processes image data captured of an interfacing space that is defined in front of a display, the controller comprising:

a controller body having at least one button for communicating input data wirelessly to the computing system, the controller body configured to be held by hands of a user, the controller body further including an accelerometer for sensing translational and rotational movement;

an object associated with the controller body, the object defined from a translucent material; and

a light for illuminating the object, the light configured to light up the translucent material in one or more colors;

wherein the controller body includes wireless communication circuitry;

wherein the light is defined from a light emitting diode (LED) device;

wherein the light is activated depending on data received from the computing system during execution of the computer program, the activation occurring in response to a state interpreted by the computer program during execution.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the computer program is a system program of the computer system or an interactive video game.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller body includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the USB connector is integrated into a side surface of the controller body.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller body is defined from a plastic material.

6. An interfacing device for communicating with a computer program executed on a computing system, the interfacing device comprising:

a controller body having at least one button and an inertial sensor for communicating data wirelessly to the computing system, the controller body having a shape for holding by a human hand;

an object disposed on a side of controller body, the object defined from a translucent material; and

a light for illuminating the object, the light configured to brighten the translucent material in one or more colors;

wherein the light is activated depending on data received from the computing system during execution of the computer program, the activation occurring in response to a state interpreted by the computer program during execution.

7. The interface device of claim 6, wherein the inertial sensor includes at least one or a combination of an accelerometer, or a gyroscope, or a tilt sensor.

8. The interface device of claim 6, wherein the computer program is a system program of the computing system or an interactive video game.

9. The interface device of claim 6, wherein the controller body includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

10. The interface device of claim 6, wherein the light is a light emitting diode (LED).

11. The interface device of claim 6, wherein the controller body is defined from a plastic material.

12. The interface device of claim 6, further comprising,

a vibration feedback device defined as part of the interface object.

13. A controller, comprising;

a body having at least one button;

an object integrated with the body, the object defined from a translucent plastic material;

an inertial sensor;

an LED device defined to illuminate the object;

a circuit for interpreting input data from the at least one button and the inertial sensor and for communicating data wirelessly, the circuit further configured to interface with the LED device to trigger illumination of the LED to switch from an un-illuminated state to an illuminated color;

wherein the LED device is activated depending on data received from a computing system, the activation occurring in response to a state interpreted by a computer program during execution.

14. The controller of claim 13, the controller further comprising a power source for driving the LED device and the circuit.

15. The controller of claim 13, wherein the illuminated color is one or more colors.

16. The controller of claim 13, wherein the body includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

17. The controller of claim 13, wherein the body is defined from a plastic material.

18. The controller of claim 13, wherein the inertial sensor includes at least one or a combination of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a tilt sensor.