Gaming controller

• US 9,776,080 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2016
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Ryuji, Huang, Ennin, Gary, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/133,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20160228767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 463 31, 463 37, 463 38, 463 42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A controller for interfacing wirelessly with a game console is provided, including the following: a housing defined by a main body, a first extension extending from a first end of the main body, and a second extension extending from a second end of the main body, the first extension and the second extension for holding by a first hand and a second hand of a user, respectively; a touch-sensitive panel defined along the top surface of the main body between the first extension and the second extension; a first set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the first extension and on a first side of the touch-sensitive panel; and, a second set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the second extension and on a second side of the touch-sensitive panel.

Claims

1. A controller for interfacing wirelessly with a game console, comprising:

a housing defined by a main body, a first extension extending from a first end of the main body, and a second extension extending from a second end of the main body, the first extension and the second extension for holding by a first hand and a second hand of a user, respectively;

a touch-sensitive panel defined along the top surface of the main body between the first extension and the second extension;

a first set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the first extension and on a first side of the touch-sensitive panel; and

a second set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the second extension and on a second side of the touch-sensitive panel.

2. The controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a translucent panel defined along a front side of the main body; and

a light defined in the main body for illuminating the translucent panel;

wherein the translucent panel is configured to be visually tracked to determine a location and/or an orientation of the controller.

3. The controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a button positioned along the top surface of the main body, the button being configured to activate a sharing interface for sharing gameplay to a social graph.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein sharing gameplay includes sharing one or more of an image, a pre-recorded video, or a live video feed of a user'"'"'s gameplay.

5. The controller of claim 3, wherein the shared gameplay is defined by a portion of buffered video of the user'"'"'s gameplay.

6. A controller for interfacing with a game console, comprising:

a housing defined by a main body, a first extension extending from a first end of the main body, and a second extension extending from a second end of the main body, the first extension and the second extension for holding by a first hand and a second hand of a user, respectively;

a wireless communication device for processing communication to and from the game console;

an inertial sensor, the inertial sensor configured for detecting motion data of the controller;

a touch-sensitive panel defined along the top surface of the main body between the first extension and the second extension;

a first set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the first extension; and

a second set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the second extension.

7. The controller of claim 6, further comprising:

a light bar defined along a front side of the main body, wherein the light bar is configured to be visually tracked to determine a location and/or an orientation of the controller.

8. The controller of claim 6, further comprising:

one or more joysticks positioned along the top surface of the main body.

9. The controller of claim 6, further comprising a speaker positioned along the top surface of the main body.

10. The controller of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to send input data from the controller to the game console, and further configured to receive feedback data from the game console.

11. A controller for interfacing with a game console, comprising:

a housing defined by a main body, a first extension extending from a first end of the main body, and a second extension extending from a second end of the main body, the first extension and the second extension for holding by a first hand and a second hand of a user, respectively;

a wireless communication device for processing communication to and from the game console;

at least one inertial sensor selected from one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope or a magnetometer;

a touch-sensitive panel defined along the top surface of the main body between the first extension and the second extension;

a first set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the first extension; and

a second set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the second extension.

12. The controller of claim 11, further comprising:

a light bar defined along a front side of the main body, wherein the light bar is configured to be visually tracked to determine a location and/or an orientation of the controller.

13. The controller of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to send input data from the controller to the game console, and further configured to receive feedback data from the game console.

14. The controller of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication device provides for data communication in accordance with a Bluetooth®

protocol.

15. The controller of claim 11, wherein each of the first handle and the second handle extend from a back side of the main body.

16. A controller for interfacing wirelessly with a game console, comprising:

a housing defined by a main body, a first extension extending from a first end of the main body, and a second extension extending from a second end of the main body, the first extension and the second extension for holding by a first hand and a second hand of a user, respectively;

a touch-sensitive panel defined along the top surface of the main body between the first extension and the second extension, the touch-sensitive panel having a rectangular form;

a first set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the first extension and on a first side of the touch-sensitive panel; and

a second set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the second extension and on a second side of the touch-sensitive panel.

17. The controller of claim 16, further comprising:

a light defined along a front side of the main body, wherein the light is configured to be visually tracked to determine a location and/or an orientation of the controller.

18. The controller of claim 16, further comprising:

a wireless communication device for processing communication to and from the game console, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to send input data from the controller to the game console, and further configured to receive feedback data from the game console, and wherein the wireless communication device provides for data communication in accordance with a Bluetooth®

protocol.

19. The controller of claim 16, further comprising:

one or more joysticks positioned along the top surface of the main body.

20. The controller of claim 16, further comprising a speaker positioned along the top surface of the main body, wherein the speaker is configured to present a first audio portion from the game console, the first audio portion being separate from a second audio portion that is transmitted by the game console to a display device.