Virtual game board and tracking device therefor

• US 6,422,942 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary Silverman, Howard R. Tarnoff, Lynn Tarnoff, Robert W. Jeffway Jr
• Original Assignee: Gary Silverman, Howard R. Tarnoff, Lynn Tarnoff, Robert W. Jeffway Jr
• Inventors: Silverman, Gary, Tarnoff, Lynn, Tarnoff, Howard R., Jeffway, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T.
• Application Number:
  US09/481,090
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/30-32, 463/34, 463/37, 463/46, 273/236, 273/237, 273/284, 273/287, 345/163, 345/164, 345/157, 345/341, 345/167
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• 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 13/422 automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03541 Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement

Abstract

A self-contained electronic unit includes a physically manipulable housing such as a mouse, a feedback device, and processing electronics. The housing is constructed to be moved in its entirety during use by a user. The feedback device is incorporated into the housing and is configured to communicate, to the user, movement of a virtual object within a virtual environment. The processing electronics are incorporated into the housing, and are configured to generate the virtual environment, to respond to movement of the housing in its entirety, without regard to relative movement of the housing with respect to any stationary attached hardware, by causing movement of the virtual object within the virtual environment. A trackball is contained within the mouse housing, and the processing electronics are configured to respond to direct physical manipulation of the trackball by a user to cause movement of the virtual object within the virtual environment.

Claims

1. A self-contained electronic unit comprising:

a physically manipulable housing constructed to be moved in its entirety, during use by a user;

a feedback device incorporated into the housing, configured to communicate, to the user, changes in distance between a virtual game piece and other virtual objects within a virtual environment, the virtual environment being a virtual game board; and

processing electronics, incorporated into the housing, the processing electronics being configured to generate the virtual environment, to respond to movement of the housing in its entirety, without regard to relative movement of the housing with respect to any stationary attached hardware, by causing changes in distance between the virtual game piece and other virtual objects within the virtual environment, and to cause the feedback device to provide feedback to the user through the feedback device, representing changes in distance between the virtual game piece and other virtual objects within the virtual environment.

2. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the movement of the housing is multidimensional and the interaction of the virtual object with the virtual environment is multidimensional.

3. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the physical manipulation of the housing comprises causing rotation of a trackball contained within the housing.

4. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the physical manipulation of the housing comprises moving the housing across a planar surface.

5. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a slot for receiving cartridges.

6. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a slot for receiving program chips.

7. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the housing is further configured to be connected to a computer and used as a cursor positioning input device for the computer.

8. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an electronic mouse.

9. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 8, wherein the housing is configured to allow both mouse functionality and trackball functionality of the unit.

10. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a cover for the mouse ball, which is adjustable to expose the ball to the user to manipulate in a trackball mode.

11. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises an LED matrix panel.

12. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises an audio output device.

13. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises an LCD screen.

14. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the feedback device is a visual feedback device that has variable magnification functionality in representing the virtual environment.

15. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the feedback to the user comprises physical effects that can be felt by the user while the user moves the housing.

16. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 15, wherein the feedback comprises a braking sensation.

17. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 15, wherein the feedback comprises a vibration sensation.

18. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 15, wherein the feedback device comprises solenoid-driven actuators acting on a mouse ball contained within the housing.

19. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 15, wherein the feedback device comprises piezo-driven actuators acting on a mouse ball contained within the housing.

20. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 15, wherein the feedback device comprises vibration generators acting on the housing.

21. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are pre-programmed to perform multiple selectable games representing interaction of a virtual object with a virtual environment.

22. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are configured to alter dimensions of the virtual environment.

23. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are configured to permit one-to-one proportionality between the movement of the housing and the movement of the virtual object within the virtual environment.

24. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are configured to permit variable proportionality between the movement of the housing and the movement of the virtual object within the virtual environment.

25. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are configured to permit only movements of the virtual object within the virtual environment that are orthogonal to a predetermined direction within the virtual environment, while permitting user input that is both orthogonal and nonorthogonal to the predetermined direction.

26. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the virtual object, for which feedback is provided representing its movement within the virtual environment, is the game piece.

27. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 2, wherein the virtual environment is a map.

28. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises at least one key that may be depressed by a user to activate a command.

29. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 28 wherein the command is a fire command.

30. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 28 wherein the command is a selection of an option using an on-screen menu.

31. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 28 wherein the command adjusts size of the virtual environment.

32. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 30 wherein the command adjusts magnification of the virtual environment.

33. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 30 wherein the command adjusts relative speed of screen movements in response to movement of the housing.

34. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 1 wherein the feedback device is configured to communicate, to the user, movement of the game piece within the virtual environment, and the processing electronics is configured to cause the feedback device to provide feedback to the user representing movement of the game piece within the virtual environment.

35. A self-contained electronic unit comprising:

a physically manipulable mouse housing constructed to be held in its entirety during use by a user;

a trackball contained within the mouse housing;

a feedback device incorporated into the mouse housing, configured to communicate, to the user, changes in distance between a virtual game piece and other virtual objects within a virtual environment, the virtual environment being a virtual game board;

and processing electronics, incorporated into the mouse housing, the electronics being configured to generate the virtual environment, to respond to direct physical manipulation of the trackball by a user to cause changes in distance between the virtual game piece and other virtual objects within the virtual environment, and to cause the feedback device to provide feedback to the user representing changes in distance between the virtual game piece and other virtual objects within the virtual environment.

36. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the movement of the housing is multidimensional and the interaction of the virtual object with the virtual environment is multidimensional.

37. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the housing is further configured to be connected to a computer and used as a cursor positioning input device for the computer.

38. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 37, wherein the housing is configured to allow both mouse functionality and trackball functionality of the unit.

39. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 38, wherein the housing comprises a cover for the mouse ball, which is adjustable to expose the ball to the user to manipulate in a trackball mode.

40. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the feedback device comprises an LED matrix panel.

41. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the feedback device comprises an audio output device.

42. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the feedback device comprises an LCD screen.

43. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the feedback to the user comprises physical effects that can be felt by the user while the user moves the housing.

44. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the virtual object is a game piece.

45. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35, wherein the virtual object, for which feedback is provided representing its movement within the virtual environment, is the game piece.

46. The self-contained electronic unit of claim 35 wherein the feedback device is configured to communicate, to the user, movement of the game piece within the virtual environment, and the processing electronics is configured to cause the feedback device to provide feedback to the user representing movement of the game piece within the virtual environment.

47. A self-contained electronic unit comprising:

a physically manipulable housing constructed to be moved in its entirety, during use by a user;

a feedback device incorporated into the housing, configured to communicate, to the user, movement of a virtual object within a virtual environment, the virtual environment being a virtual game board; and

processing electronics, incorporated into the housing, the processing electronics being configured to generate the virtual environment, to respond to movement of the housing in its entirety, without regard to relative movement of the housing with respect to any stationary attached hardware, by causing movement of a virtual game piece within the virtual environment, and to cause the feedback device to provide feedback to the user through the feedback device, representing movement of the virtual object within the virtual environment;

wherein the virtual environment comprises a dynamic play area in which the virtual object moves regardless of user input, the virtual object being distinct from the virtual game piece.

48. A self-contained electronic unit comprising:

a physically manipulable mouse housing constructed to be held in its entirety during use by a user;

a trackball contained within the mouse housing;

a feedback device incorporated into the mouse housing, configured to communicate, to the user, movement of a virtual object within a virtual environment, the virtual environment being a virtual game board;

and processing electronics, incorporated into the mouse housing, the electronics being configured to generate the virtual environment, to respond to direct physical manipulation of the trackball by a user to cause movement of a virtual game piece within the virtual environment, and to cause the feedback device to provide feedback to the user representing movement of the virtual object within the virtual environment;

wherein the virtual environment comprises a dynamic play area in which the virtual object moves regardless of user input, the virtual object being distinct from the virtual game piece.