Expanding operating device and operating system

• US 20100007528A1
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Takamoto, Junji, Itou, Kuniaki, Suetake, Fumiyoshi, Wada, Jumpei, Wakitani, Noboru, Ueki, Junpei, Tojo, Haruki, Urata, Masahiro, Ibuki, Masato
• Granted Patent: US 8,384,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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

An expanding operating device has a first connector, a second connector and a sensor. The first connector has a first shape physically and electrically connectable with a connector provided with an operating device. Thus, by connecting the first connector to the connector of the operating device, the expanding operating device can be used with the operating device as a single unit, which eventually adds the sensor to the operating device. On the other hand, the second connector has a second shape connectable with a connector with the first shape. This allows a connector conventionally connected to the connector of another operating device to be also connected with the second connector. Accordingly, if the connector of another device is connected to the second connector in a state that the first connector is connected to the connector of the operating device, the another device is eventually connected to the operating device via the expanding operating device.

Claims

1. An expanding operating device, by being connected to an operating device via a connector, which is used with said operating device as a single unit, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector having a first shape physically and electrically connectable to a connector provided to said operating device;

a second connector having a second shape connectable to a connector having said first shape, and

a sensor.

2. An expanding operating device according to claim 1, wherein

said sensor is a motion sensor for detecting a motion of itself.

3. An expanding operating device according to claim 2, wherein

said motion sensor is a three-axis gyro sensor.

4. An expanding operating device according to claim 2, wherein

at least one through hole portion is provided on a surface to which said connector of said operating device is provided, further comprising

a protrusion member capable of being fit to said through hole portion.

5. An expanding operating device according to claim 4, wherein

said protrusion member is a pawl member capable of being opened and closed, further comprising

a protrusion locking mechanism for locking the opening and closing thereof.

6. An expanding operating device according to claim 2, further comprising

a concave portion from a side of said first connector to a bottom surface of said housing.

7. An expanding operating device according to claim 2, further comprising

a lid capable of covering said second connector, and being captive from said housing when it is detached.

8. An expanding operating device according to claim 2, wherein

data is fetched from an external device through said second connector, and the data from said external device and the data from said motion sensor are output to said operating device through said first connector.

9. An expanding operating device according to claim 8, further comprising

an output data controlling means for controlling output data including the data from said sensor;

a bus switch for directly connecting a line on a side of said second connector to the side of said first connector; and

a bus switch controlling means for switching a connection of said bus switch between on and off, wherein

when said bus switch is turned off, the line on the side of said second connector is connected to the side of said first connector via said output data controlling means.

10. An expanding operating device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a sensor power managing means for switching a power supply to said sensor between on and off, wherein

said bus switch controlling means turns the connection to said bus switch on when the power source of said sensor is turned off.

11. An expanding operating device according to claim 10, further comprising

a connection detecting means for detecting whether or not a predetermined device is connected to said second connector, wherein

said output data controlling means alternately outputs first data output from said predetermined device and second data based on an output from said sensor from said first connector when a connection of said bus switch is turned off, and said predetermined device is connected to said second connector.

12. An expanding operating device according to claim 3, further comprising:

an angular velocity determining means for determining a size of an angular velocity of each axis detected by said gyro sensor; and

an angular velocity data output controlling means for outputting first angular velocity data with low accuracy in a case that the size of said angular velocity is large, and outputting second angular velocity data having data amount the same as that of said first angular velocity data and having high accuracy in a case that the size of said angular velocity is small.

13. An operation system, comprising:

a first operating device including

a first housing taking a long shape and having a thickness capable of being held by a hand,

a first operating portion provided on an top surface of said first housing, said first operating portion being provided at a position that said first operating portion can be operated by a thumb of said hand,

a second operating portion provided on a bottom surface of said first housing, said second operating portion being provided at a position that said second operating portion can be operated by an index finger of the hand in a state where the thumb of the hand is put on said first operating portion,

a holding portion formed on said first housing, said holding portion being provided at a position that said holding portion can be held by a palm and other finger(s) of said hand in a state where said thumb and said index finger of said hand are respectively put on said first operating portion and said second operating portion,

a first acceleration sensor,

an imaging means provided at an end opposed to said holding portion of said first housing, and

a first connector provided at an end of said holding portion of said first housing; and

a second operating device including at least a second housing, a second connector connectable to said first connector, and a gyro sensor, wherein an operation is performed by connecting said second operating device to said first operating device.

14. An operation system according to claim 13, wherein said second operating device further includes a third connector, further comprising

a third operating device including a fourth connector connectable with said third connector, a third housing, a second acceleration sensor, and a stick capable of inputting a direction, wherein

an operation is performed by connecting said third operating device to said second operating device.

15. An operation system according to claim 13, further comprising

a third operating device including a third housing, a second acceleration sensor, and a stick capable of performing a direction input, wherein

an operation is performed by connecting said third operating device to said second operating device via a wireless communication.

16. An operation system according to claim 14, wherein

said third operating device includes said second acceleration sensor and said stick inside said third housing, and said third housing and said fourth connector are connected via a bendable cable.

17. An operation system according to claim 14, wherein

said fourth connector has a shape connectable with said first connector in place of said third connector.

18. An expanding operating device utilized in an operation system in claim 13 as said second operating device, including said second connector, said second housing, and said gyro sensor.

19. An operation system according to claim 13, wherein

said second operating device further includes a output data controlling means for performing a control of data to be output to said first operating device via said second connector, and

said first operating device further includes a communicating means for transmitting at least data on the basis of outputs from said first operating portion, said second operating portion, said first acceleration sensor and said imaging means, and data output from said second operating device via said second connector.

20. An operation system according to claim 19, wherein

said second operating device further includes a third connector, further comprising a third operating device including a fourth connector connectable to said third connector, a third housing, a second acceleration sensor, and a stick capable of inputting a direction, and connecting said third operating device to said second operating device to perform an operation, and

said communicating means further transmits data output from said third operating device via said fourth connector.

21. An operation system according to claim 20, wherein

said second operating device further includes

a bus switch for directly connecting a line on a side of said third connector to a side of said second connector, and

a bus switch controlling means for switching said bus switch between on and off, and

the line on the side of said third connector is connected to the side of said second connector via said output data controlling means when said bus switch is turned off.

22. An operation system according to claim 21, further comprising

a gyro sensor power managing means for switching a power supply to said gyro sensor between on and off, wherein

said bus switch controlling means turns the connection of said bus switch on when the power source of said gyro sensor is turned off.

23. An operation system according to claim 22, wherein

said second operating device further includes a connection detecting means for detecting whether or not said third operating device is connected to said third connector, and

said output data controlling means alternately outputs first data input from said third operating device and second data based on the output from said gyro sensor to said first operating device when the connection of said bus switch is turned off, and said third operating device is connected to said third connector.

24. An operation system which has a first operating device, a second operating device and a third operating device, and performs an operation by connecting said first operating device, said second operating device and said third operating device or by connecting said first operating device and said third operating device, wherein

said first operating device comprises:

a motion sensor for detecting a motion of said first operating device itself;

a strap attaching portion attachable with a strap; and

a first connector,

said second operating device comprises;

a second connector connectable to said first connector;

a third connector; and

a lid capable of covering said third connector and being captive from said second operating device in a state that it is detached from said third connector,

said third operating device comprises;

a fourth connector selectively connectable to said first and said third connectors; and

a hook provided in a vicinity of said fourth connector, and

said hook can hang said strap when said first operating device and said third operating device are connected by a connection between said first connector and said fourth connector, and said hook can hang said lid when said second operating device and said third operating device are connected by a connection between said third connector and said fourth connector.

25. An operating device utilized as said second operating device in the operation system according to claim 24, comprising said second connector, said third connector, and said lid.

26. An operation system according to claim 24, wherein

said motion sensor is an acceleration sensor.

27. An operation system according to claim 24, wherein

said second operating device further includes a gyro sensor.

28. An operation system according to claim 24, wherein

said third operating device further includes an acceleration sensor and a stick capable of inputting a direction.