Video game controller

• US 8,070,571 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 720 Degrees, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eric Argentar
• Inventors: Argentar, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAYBILL, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US12/303,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface

Abstract

Improvements relating to a control device for controlling a display of a computer system for use with a video game includes a coordinate control unit for providing information related to a vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device, a game control unit for inputting game control information and a controller for processing the information provided by the coordinate control unit and game control unit. The vertical and horizontal point of view of the user in the video game and/or the vertical and horizontal position of a cursor on the display is determined based on the information related to the vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device. The control device is preferably shaped like a firearm to enhance the realism of the video game, and may include an LCD display mounted on the control device, as the primary display, and may also include an LCD mounted in a sighting device of the control device.

Claims

1. A control device for operation by a user for controlling a display of a computer system for use with a video game, comprising:

a coordinate control unit adapted to be handled by the user in order to generate input information related to a vertical and a horizontal tilt of the control device;

a game play control unit adapted to be handled by the user in order to generate game play input information; and

a controller adapted to process said input information from the coordinate control unit to provide point of view information of an avatar of the user in the video game to the computer system, and adapted to process said input information from the game play control unit in order to provide game information representative of at least positional movement of the avatar of the user in the video game to a display of the computer system, wherein

the control device has a shape substantially similar to a firearm, and

a primary display of the computer system is provided by a display which is mounted on said firearm shaped control device.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein said control device has a shape comprising:

a central body,

a handgrip extending downward from a rear section of the central body; and

a barrel extending longitudinally forward from the central body, and said primary display is mounted on said barrel.

3. The control device of claim 2, wherein said primary display comprises an LCD display mounted on said barrel in alignment with a sighting portion of said firearm control device.

4. The control device of claim 1, including a sighting device mounted on said control device, said sighting device including an electronic display therein which displays to the user a magnified image of a portion of an image which is currently being displayed on said primary display, said magnified image being representative of the current aim of the control device with respect to the primary image.

11. The control device of claim 1, wherein the coordinate control unit further comprises:

at least one gyroscope adapted to provide input information regarding the vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device in order to provide information regarding a desired vertical and horizontal point of view of the avatar of the user in the video game.

12. The control device of claim 1, wherein the coordinate control unit further comprises:

at least one gyroscope adapted to provide information regarding the vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device in order to provide information regarding a desired vertical and horizontal position of a cursor on the display of the computer system.

13. The control device of claim 1, further including a mouse button-type control unit adapted to be operated by the user in order to generate computer mouse button-type input information, wherein the mouse button-type control unit comprises:

a wheel adapted to provide information to scroll up or down on the display;

a left button adapted to provide information regarding selections of the user; and

a right button adapted to provide information regarding other selections of the user.

14. The control device of claim 2, further including:

a trigger extending downward from the central body in front of at least a portion of the handgrip.

15. The control device of claim 1, wherein the game play control unit comprises:

a directional controller adapted to generate input information regarding longitudinal and lateral movement in space;

a plurality of buttons adapted to provide information regarding a plurality of actions performed on the display, the plurality of actions including two or more of running, crouching, jumping and special actions; and

a coordinate activation button adapted to selectively enable and disable input of information from the coordinate control unit to the computer system.

16. The control device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of buttons are positioned on the handgrip of the control device such that the plurality of buttons are operable by fingers of the hand of the user gripping the handgrip.

5. A control device for operation by a user for controlling a display of a computer system for use with a video game, comprising:

a coordinate control unit adapted to be handled by the user in order to generate input information related to a vertical and a horizontal tilt of the control device;

a game play control unit adapted to be handled by the user in order to generate game play input information; and

a controller adapted to process said input information from the coordinate control unit to provide point of view information of an avatar of the user in the video game to the computer system, and adapted to process said input information from the game play control unit in order to provide game information representative of at least positional movement of the avatar of the user in the video game to a display of the computer system, wherein

the control device has a shape substantially similar to a firearm, and

a primary display of the computer system is provided by a video projector which is mounted on said firearm shaped control device, for projecting images representative of at least said positional movement of the avatar of the user in the video game.

6. The control device of claim 5, wherein said control device has a shape comprising:

a central body,

a handgrip extending downward from a rear section of the central body; and

a barrel extending longitudinally forward from the central body, and said primary display is mounted on said barrel.

7. The control device of claim 6, wherein said primary display comprises an video projector mounted on said barrel.

8. The control device of claim 5, further including a curved display screen for at least partially enclosing said user, upon which said projector projects said images.

9. The control device of claim 6, wherein the coordinate control unit further comprises:

a y-axis sensor adapted to input information regarding a tilt of the barrel of the control device in a vertical direction; and

an x-axis sensor adapted to input information regarding a tilt of the barrel of the control device in a horizontal direction.

10. The control device of claim 9, wherein the y-axis sensor further comprises:

a horizontal shaft attached to a side of the barrel that rotates as the barrel is tilted upward and downward;

a first optical disk attached to the horizontal shaft such that the optical disk rotates with the horizontal shaft; and

at least one optical encoder adapted to correlate rotation of the optical disk to vertical tilt of the barrel to provide information indicating a desired vertical point of view of the avatar of a user in the video game.

19. The control device of claim 5, wherein the coordinate control unit further comprises:

at least one gyroscope adapted to provide input information regarding the vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device in order to provide information regarding a desired vertical and horizontal point of view of the avatar of the user in the video game.

20. The control device of claim 5, wherein the game play control unit comprises:

a directional controller adapted to generate input information regarding longitudinal and lateral movement in space;

a plurality of buttons adapted to provide information regarding a plurality of actions performed on the display, the plurality of actions including two or more of running, crouching, jumping and special actions; and

a coordinate activation button adapted to selectively enable and disable input of information from the coordinate control unit to the computer system.

17. A method for allowing a user to control a display of a computer system, comprising:

providing a display control unit with a shape substantially similar to a firearm, the display control unit comprising a central body, a handgrip extending downward from a rear section of the central body, and a foregrip or barrel extending longitudinally forward from the central body;

receiving information from a coordinate control unit portion of the display control unit that is related to a vertical and a horizontal tilt of the display control unit and is representative of point of view information of an avatar of the user in the video game;

receiving information from a game play control unit portion of the display control unit that is representative of at least positional movement of the avatar of the user in the video game; and

providing game information for controlling the display of the computer system based on information received from the coordinate control unit and providing game information for controlling the display of the computer system based on information received from the game play control unit, both of said providing being accomplished by use of a primary display which is mounted on said control device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the display control unit is adapted to be grasped by two hands of the user, where;

the fingers or thumb of one hand, positioned on one of the foregrip or barrel, operate one or more buttons adapted to provide input information regarding longitudinal and lateral movement of the avatar of the user on the display in space, while the fingers or thumb of the other hand, positioned on the handgrip, operate one or more buttons adapted to provide input information regarding a plurality of actions performed by the avatar of the user on the display, the plurality of actions including one or more of running, crouching, jumping and selecting weapons, wherein both hands, in addition to providing the above-noted operation, provide stability to the device with respect to the vertical and horizontal tilt of the unit, as well as reducing fatigue in wielding the unit in a manner similar to a real firearm.