Game controller with structural bridge

• US 9,808,713 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2017
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamevice, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wikipad, Incorporated (Gamevice, Inc.)
• Inventors: Townley, Fraser, Gamble, Kelly D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yen, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/663,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20170326447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 102 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• 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 13/235 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 : Special purpose keyboards

Abstract

A device directed to a combination computing and input device. The computing device providing a plurality of sides, each of the plurality of sides are disposed between an electronic display screen and a back of the computing device. The input device communicates with the computing device and provides a pair of control modules adjacent to and confining the computing device on at least two opposing sides of the computing device. The input device further provides a structural bridge securing the pair of control modules one to the other, and a touch sensitive input module. The structural bridge adaptively and snugly accommodate the length of the computing device. A first of the pair of control modules features a retention mechanism communicating with the structural bridge. The retention mechanism adaptively secures the structural bridge such that the pair of control modules snugly accommodate the length of the computing device.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

a computing device, the computing device providing an upper, lower, left and right side, collectively the sides of the computing device, and an electronic display screen, the electronic display screen having a corresponding side adjacent each of the sides of the computing device;

a pair of confinement structures, the pair of confinement structures adjacent to and confining the computing device on at least two opposing sides, but not more than three sides of the sides of the computing device, and in which a first confinement structure of the pair of confinement structures provides a first communication link, while a second confinement structure of the pair of confinement structures provides a second communication link;

a structural bridge disposed between the pair of confinement structures, the structural bridge comprising, a passageway between the pair of confinement structures, the passageway promotes communication between the first communication link and the computing device, the passageway further promotes communication between the second communication link and the computing device;

fastening mechanisms, the fastening mechanisms secure the first confinement structure to a first side of the structural bridge, and further in which the fastening mechanisms secure the second confinement structure to a second side of the structural bridge; and

an input device, the input device comprising a pair of control modules, each control module of the pair of control modules secured to a corresponding confinement structure of the pair of confinement structures, each control module in electronic communication with the communication link of its corresponding confinement structure, each of the pair of control modules providing input module apertures, each input module aperture secures an instructional input device, wherein said input module apertures are adjacent each of the at least two opposing sides of the sides of the computing device, and wherein the input device is a separate and distinct structure from either of the pair of confinement structures, forming no structural portion of either of the pair of confinement structures, and in which the confinement structures are separate and distinct structures from the structural bridge, forming no structural portion of the structural bridge.

2. The combination of claim 1, in which the structural bridge is a rigid structural bridge, the rigid structural bridge supports electronics associated with the computing device.

3. The combination of claim 2, in which the computing device further comprising a back, the back provides an internal surface, an external surface, and upper, lower, left and right sides, collectively the sides of the back of the computing device, the back of the computing device cooperating with the sides of the computing device.

4. The combination of claim 3, in which the rigid structural bridge cooperates with the back of the computing device.

5. The combination of claim 4, in which the rigid structural bridge cooperating with the back of the computing device is adjacent to the external surface of the back of the computing device.

6. The combination of claim 4, in which each instructional input device passes signals through its corresponding communication link to the computing device, the signals controlling images displayed on the electronic display screen of the computing device.

7. The combination of claim 4, in which the input device is a pair of game control modules, and in which each game control module passes signals through its corresponding communication link to the computing device, the signals controlling images displayed on the electronic display screen of the computing device.

8. The combination of claim 2, in which the electronics supported by the rigid structural bridge is a communication module associated with the computing device.

9. The combination of claim 2, in which the rigid structural bridge, the pair of confinement structures, and the fastening mechanism form a communication port.

10. A combination comprising:

a computing device, the computing device providing an upper, lower, left and right side, collectively the sides of the computing device, and an electronic display screen, the electronic display screen having a corresponding side adjacent each of the sides of the computing device;

a pair of modules, the pair of modules adjacent to and confining the computing device on at least two opposing sides, but not more than three sides of the sides of the computing device, a module of the pair of modules providing a communication link;

a structural bridge disposed between the pair of modules, the structural bridge includes, but is not limited to, a passageway between the pair of modules, and a fastening mechanism, the passageway promotes communication between the communication link and the computing device, while the fastening mechanism unifies the pair of modules with the structural bridge, and in which the structural bridge provides a void in the midsection of the structural bridge, the void having right, left, upper, and lower sides, each side communicating with a material of the structural bridge; and

a pair of instructional input devices, each instructional input device of the pair of instructional input devices interacting with a corresponding module of the pair of modules, each instructional input device in electronic communication with the communication link, each of the pair of instructional input devices adjacent a corresponding side of the at least two opposing sides of the sides of the computing device.

11. The combination of claim 10, in which the structural bridge is a flexible structural bridge, the flexible structural bridge supports electronics associated with the computing device, and wherein the input device is a separate and distinct structure from the pair of modules, forming no structural portion of the pair of modules.

12. The combination of claim 11, in which the electronics supported by the flexible bridge is fiber optics.

13. The combination of claim 12, in which the computing device further comprising a back, the back provides an internal surface, an external surface, and upper, lower, left and right sides, collectively the sides of the back of the computing device, the back of the computing device cooperating with the sides of the computing device.

14. The combination of claim 13, in which the flexible structural bridge cooperates with the external surface of the back.

15. The combination of claim 14, in which each instructional input device of the pair of instructional input devices passes signals through the communication link to the computing device, the signals controlling images displayed on the electronic display screen of the computing device.

16. A combination comprising:

a pair of confinement structures;

a first communication link, the first communication link confined by a first confinement structure of the pair of confinement structures;

a second communication link, the second communication link confined by a second confinement structure of the pair of confinement structures;

a structural bridge disposed between the first confinement structure and the second confinement structure, the structural bridge comprising an electronics communications passageway between the first and second confinement structures;

fastening mechanisms, the fastening mechanisms secure each the first confinement structure and the second confinement structure of the pair of confinement structures to the structural bridge; and

a pair of control modules, a first control module of the pair of control modules attached to the first confinement structure, and a second control module of the pair of control modules attached to the second confinement structure, the first control module in electronic communication with the first communication link, the second control module in electronic communication with the second communication link, each the first and the second control modules comprising a plurality of input module apertures, each input module aperture secures an instructional input device, and in which neither the first nor the second control module from a structural portion of either the first or second confinement structures.

17. The combination of claim 16, further comprising a computing device, the computing device comprising an upper, lower, left and right side, collectively the sides of the computing device, the computing device disposed between and in contact adjacency with each the first and second confinement structure of the pair of confinement structures, the pair of confinement structures engaging the computing device on at least two opposing sides, but not more than three sides of the sides of the computing device, said pair of confinement structures are separate and distinct structures from the computing device.

18. The combination of claim 17, in which the structural bridge is a rigid structural bridge, the rigid structural bridge supports electronics associated with the computing device.

19. The combination of claim 18, in which the computing device further comprising a back, the back provides an internal surface, an external surface, and upper, lower, left and right sides, collectively the sides of the back of the computing device, the back of the computing device cooperating with the sides of the computing device, and in which the rigid structural bridge cooperates with the back of the computing device.

20. The combination of claim 19, in which the rigid structural bridge, the pair of confinement structures, and the fastening mechanism form a communication port.