GAME CONTROLLER AND GAME SYSTEM

• US 20140323221A1
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: IKEDA, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 9,044,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• 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 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• 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 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2408 Touch-sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2447 Motion detector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• 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 2300/1068 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 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 : Shooting
• 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

Abstract

A first control unit includes a first operation data generation section for generating first operation data in accordance with a motion of a first control unit body included in the first control unit. A second control unit includes a second operation data generation section for generating second operation data in accordance with a direction input operation performed by a player or a motion of a second control unit body included in the second control unit. Further, one of the first control unit and the second control unit includes a transmission section for transmitting the first operation data and the second operation data to a computer at a predetermined timing.

Claims

1. A hand-held controller, comprising:

a housing having an elongated shape comprising;

a convex curved surface,

a complex curved surface that is convex in one dimension and concave in another dimension to define a saddle surface, the complex curved surface dimensioned, curved, and configured to trap and be supported by at least a middle finger of a grasping hand contacting the saddle surface, and

a forward surface disposed between the convex curved surface and the complex curved surface;

an operation section positioned on the convex curved surface to be operated by at least a thumb of the grasping hand; and

a motion sensor configured to sense at least motion.

2. The hand-held controller of claim 1, wherein the operation section includes an input device movable in any direction of 360 degrees.

3. The hand-held controller of claim 1, wherein the operation section includes an input device having a slide pad.

4. The hand-held controller of claim 3, wherein the slide pad including a disc-shaped member movable in any direction of 360 degrees.

5. The hand-held controller of claim 1, wherein the operation section includes a touch pad.

6. The hand-held controller of claim 1, wherein the operation section includes a directional input section configured to accept at least four directions of input.

7. The hand-held controller of claim 1, wherein the operation section includes a composite switch having at least a ring-shaped directional operation section and a center switch provided at a center thereof.

8. The hand-held controller of claim 1, wherein the sensor including a gyro sensor configured to output signals relating to an angular velocity of the motion of the controller in free space.

9. The hand-held controller of claim 1, wherein the sensor including an accelerometer configured to output signals relating to aspects of orientation of the controller.

10. A hand-held controller, comprising:

an elongated housing including a head portion and a body portion adjacent to the head portion, the housing further including a top curved surface having a convex curvature, a bottom curved surface opposed to the top curved surface and having a convex curvature and a concave curvature both sharing a saddle point of the bottom curved surface, and a front curved surface substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces in the head portion of the housing, and meeting the top and bottom surfaces at first and second oppositely located edges, respectively, the front curved surface having a convex curvature;

a first operation section provided on the top curved surface of the housing and configured to provide directional input in any direction of 360 degrees; and

a motion sensing device disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the first operation section, the motion sensing device configured to detect and output data related to movement of the controller in free space.

11. The handheld controller of claim 10, wherein the first operation section includes an input device having a slide pad.

12. The handheld controller of claim 11, wherein the slide pad including a disc-shaped member movable in any direction of 360 degrees.

13. The handheld controller of claim 10, wherein the first operation section includes a touch pad.

14. The handheld controller of claim 10, wherein the first operation section includes a directional input section configured to accept at least four directions of input.

15. The handheld controller of claim 10, wherein the first operation section includes a composite switch having at least a ring-shaped directional operation section and a center switch provided at a center thereof.

16. The handheld controller of claim 10, wherein the motion sensing device including a gyro sensor configured to output signals relating to an angular velocity of the motion of the controller in free space.

17. The handheld controller of claim 10, wherein the motion sensing device including an accelerometer configured to output signals relating to aspects of orientation of the controller.