Keypad controller for use with a video game

• US 5,531,443 A
• Filed: 09/13/1994
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jose L. Cruz
• Original Assignee: Jose L. Cruz
• Inventors: Cruz, Jose L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W.
• Application Number:
  US08/304,884
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 273/433, 273/434, 273/435, 273/438, 273/148 B
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• 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 13/42 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 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

A keypad controller for use with a video game comprising a housing; a cable connector mechanism extended from the housing and coupleable to a plug end of a cable for connection and communication with a video game; and a plurality of actuateable directional switches each coupled to the cable connector mechanism and extended from the housing with each directional switch associated with a compass direction and with each directional switch generating a unique signal when actuated for controlling the direction of events of a video game.

Claims

1. A keypad controller for use with a video game for generating directional and activation signals for controlling the direction and activation of events during play of a video game comprising, in combination:

a housing having a bottom wall, top wall, and a periphery interconnecting the top wall with the bottom wall with the periphery further having a front wall, a rear wall, and two opposed and outwardly curved side walls defining handles for allowing a user a firm grip;

a cable connector extended from the rear wall of the housing and coupleable to a plug end of a cable for connection and communication with a video game, the cable connector having a north terminal, a south terminal, an east terminal, a west terminal, event terminal, and ground terminal;

eight depressible directional switches coupled to and extended from the top wall of the housing with four of the switches each located at a vertex of an imaginary square defined upon the top wall to thereby define a northwest switch, a northeast switch, a southeast switch, and a southwest switch and with the remaining four switches each generally positioned between each pair of vertices of the imaginary square to define a north switch, a south switch, an east switch, and a west switch, each switch having an cathode terminal and a anode terminal with each anode terminal coupled to the ground terminal of the cable connector and with the cathode terminal of the north switch coupled to the north terminal of the cable connector, the cathode terminal of the south switch coupled to the south terminal of the cable connector, the cathode terminal of the east switch coupled to the east terminal of the cable connector, and the cathode terminal of the west switch coupled to the west terminal of the cable connector;

a first diode, a second diode, a third diode, a fourth diode, a fifth diode, a sixth diode, a seventh diode, and an eighth diode with the first diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the northwest switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the north terminal of the cable connector, the second diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of northeast switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the north terminal of the cable connector, the third diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the northeast switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the east terminal of the cable connector, the fourth diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the southeast switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the east terminal of the cable connector, the fifth diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the southeast switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the south terminal of the cable connector, the sixth diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the southwest switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the south terminal of the cable connector, the seventh diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the southwest switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the west terminal of the cable connector, and the eighth diode having an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the northwest switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the west terminal of the cable connector and with depression of the north switch generating a north directional signal, depression of the south switch generating a south directional signal, depression of the east switch generating an east directional signal, depression of the west switch generating a west directional signal, depression of the northeast switch generating a north directional signal and east directional signal, depression of the southeast switch generating a south directional signal and an east directional signal, depression of the southwest switch generating a south directional signal and a west directional signal, and depression of the northwest switch generating a north directional signal and a west directional signal; and

two pairs of actuation switches extended from the rear wall of the housing, each pair formed of a depressible action switch and a lock switch, the action switch having a cathode terminal coupled to the event terminal of the cable connector and an anode terminal connected to the ground terminal of the cable connector with depression of the action switch generating an activation signal, the lock switch coupled to the action switch and having an activated orientation for allowing the continual generation of the activation signal and a de-activated orientation for preventing such continual generation.

2. A keypad controller for use with a video game comprising:

a housing;

cable connector means extended from the housing and coupleable to a plug end of a cable for connection and communication with a video game;

a plurality of actuateable directional switches each coupled to the cable connector means and extended from the housing, each switch associated with a compass direction, each switch generating a unique signal when actuated for controlling the direction of events of a video game;

directional switches consisting of north switch, a south switch, an east switch, a west switch, a northwest switch, a northeast switch, a southwest switch, and a southeast switch with the north switch, south switch, east switch, west switch each located at a vertex of a first imaginary square disposed on the housing and with the northwest switch, northeast switch, southwest switch, and southeast switch each located at a vertex of a second imaginary square disposed on the .housing wherein the centroid of the first imaginary square is aligned with the centroid of the second imaginary square and wherein second imaginary square is rotated 45 degrees with respect to the first imaginary square; and

a plurality of diodes coupled between the directional switches and further facilitating the cooperation of the directional switches.