Touch pen attachment, controller system and game system

• US 10,809,822 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2019
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Akama, Tetsuya, Miyatake, Junichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, Nan-Ying
• Application Number:
  US16/430,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20200019258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/039 Accessories therefor, e.g. mouse pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

An example touch pen attachment is attachable to a game controller including a controller-side slide portion. The touch pen attachment includes a housing, an attachment-side slide portion, a stopper portion, and a touch pen portion. The attachment-side slide portion is configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in a slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion has a first side and a second side with respect to the slide direction, and the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side. The stopper portion stops a slide movement, in an insertion direction, of the controller-side slide portion. The touch pen portion is on at least one of an end portion of the housing on the first side in the slide direction and another end portion thereof on the second side in the slide direction.

Claims

1. A touch pen attachment which is attachable to a game controller including a controller-side slide portion, comprising:

a housing;

an attachment-side slide portion configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in a slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion has a first side and a second side with respect to the slide direction, and the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side;

a stopper on the second side of a center of the attachment-side slide portion and configured to stop a slide movement, in an insertion direction, of the controller-side slide portion that has been inserted from the first side of the attachment-side slide portion;

a touch pen on at least one of an end portion of the housing on the first side in the slide direction and another end portion thereof on the second side in the slide direction; and

at least a first operation button and a second operation button each disposed on a side of the housing that opposes the attachment-side slide portion, wherein

the first operation button and the second operation button are configured to receive a user input for controlling a game operation in a case that the touch pen attachment is slidably engaged with the game controller.

4. The touch pen attachment according to claim 1, wherein the touch pen is on the end portion of the housing on the second side in the slide direction.

5. The touch pen attachment according to claim 4, wherein the touch pen protrudes from an end portion of the attachment-side slide portion on the second side in a direction from the first side toward the second side.

12. The touch pen attachment according to claim 1, wherein

the first operation button and the second operation button each protrude from the side of the housing that opposes the attachment-side slide portion.

13. The touch pen attachment according to claim 12, further comprising:

a first spring configured to bias the first operation button away from the housing; and

a second spring configured to bias the second operation button away from the housing.

14. The touch pen attachment according to claim 13, wherein

the first operation button includes a first protruding portion that extends through a first opening of the attachment-side slide portion and makes contact with a first button of the game controller in a case that the touch pen attachment is slidably engaged with the game controller and a user input is received at the first operation button, and

the second operation button includes a second protruding portion that extends through a second opening of the attachment-side slide portion and makes contact with a second button of the game controller in a case that the touch pen attachment is slidably engaged with the game controller and a user input is received at the second operation button.

15. The touch pen attachment according to claim 1, wherein

the touch pen includes a conductive connecting portion that connects the touch pen to the attachment-side slide portion.

16. The touch pen attachment according to claim 15, wherein

the connecting portion includes a projection configured to protrude through an opening of the attachment-side slide portion.

17. The touch pen attachment according to claim 1, wherein

the touch pen includes a connecting portion configured to connect the touch pen to the attachment-side slide portion through an opening formed in the housing in proximity to the stopper.

2. A touch pen attachment which is attachable to a game controller including a controller-side slide portion, comprising:

a housing;

an attachment-side slide portion configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in a slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion has a first side and a second side with respect to the slide direction, and the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side;

a stopper on the second side of a center of the attachment-side slide portion and configured to stop a slide movement, in an insertion direction, of the controller-side slide portion that has been inserted from the first side of the attachment-side slide portion;

a touch pen on at least one of an end portion of the housing on the first side in the slide direction and another end portion thereof on the second side in the slide direction, wherein

the touch pen includes a conductive pen point;

the attachment-side slide portion is conductive; and

the touch pen attachment further includes a conductive connecting portion that connects together the pen point and the attachment-side slide portion.

3. The touch pen attachment according to claim 2, wherein the attachment-side slide portion is made of a metal.

6. A controller system comprising a game controller and a touch pen attachment which is attachable to the game controller, wherein:

the game controller comprises a controller-side slide portion; and

the touch pen attachment comprises

a housing;

an attachment-side slide portion configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in a slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion has a first side and a second side with respect to the slide direction, and the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side;

a stopper on the second side of a center of the attachment-side slide portion and configured to stop a slide movement, in an insertion direction, of the controller-side slide portion that has been inserted from the first side of the attachment-side slide portion;

a touch pen on at least one of an end portion of the housing on the first side in the slide direction and another end portion thereof on the second side in the slide direction; and

at least a first operation button and a second operation button each disposed on a side of the housing that opposes the attachment-side slide portion, wherein

the first operation button and the second operation button are configured to receive a user input for controlling a game operation in a case that the touch pen attachment is slidably engaged with the game controller.

7. A game system comprising a game apparatus, a game controller capable of communicating with the game apparatus;

and a touch pen attachment which is attachable to the game controller, wherein;

the game apparatus comprises a touch panel;

the game controller comprises a controller-side slide portion; and

the touch pen attachment comprises

a housing;

an attachment-side slide portion configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in a slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion has a first side and a second side with respect to the slide direction, and the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side;

a stopper on the second side of a center of the attachment-side slide portion and configured to stop a slide movement, in an insertion direction, of the controller-side slide portion that has been inserted from the first side of the attachment-side slide portion; and

a touch pen on at least one of an end portion of the housing on the first side in the slide direction and another end portion thereof on the second side in the slide direction, wherein

the game apparatus is configured to

detect a touch input by the touch pen attachment to the touch panel of game apparatus in a case that the touch pen attachment is slidably engaged with the game controller; and

wirelessly transmit an instruction to the game controller based on the touch input by the touch pen attachment detected at the touch panel in a case that the touch pen attachment is slidably engaged with the game controller.

8. The game system according to claim 7, wherein

the game apparatus includes a communication interface configured to transmit a vibration instruction to the game controller based on an input made on the touch panel using the touch pen.

9. The game system according to claim 7, wherein

the game controller includes a user interface, and

the communication interface of the game controller is configured to transmit, to the game apparatus, information corresponding to an input received at the user interface.

10. The game system according to claim 8, wherein the game controller comprises:

a vibrator; and

processing circuitry configured to cause the vibrator to vibrate in a case that the vibration instruction is received from the game apparatus.

11. The game system according to claim 9, wherein the game apparatus comprises:

a communication interface configured to receive the information corresponding to the input received at the user interface transmitted by communication interface of the game controller; and

processing circuitry configured to execute a process based on an input received at the touch panel using the touch pen and the information corresponding to the input received at the user interface.