U.S. Pat. No. 10,556,179

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3show one embodiment of a gaming audio controller100(the “controller”). The controller100can have a housing101that encloses electronics as further described below. The controller100can be removably connected between a game console (see C1, C2inFIG. 7) and a user's headset (see HS inFIG. 5). Advantageously, the controller100is compatible for use with various different game consoles (e.g., PlayStation 4, Xbox One, etc.), different computers (e.g., PC, Mac computer), and mobile devices.FIGS. 17A-17Eshow a top, left, front, right and back view, respectively, of a video game audio controller, according to one embodiment.

The controller100can have a master volume control input102and a game/chat audio control input104. Optionally, one or both of the master volume control input102and the game/chat audio control input104can be dials that can be rotated by a user to adjust the volume level and the balance between game and chat audio, respectively. In other embodiments, the master volume control input102and/or the game/chat audio control input104can have other suitable mechanisms, such as movable (e.g., pivotable, slidable) levers. The master volume control input102(e.g., a dial potentiometer) can be actuated (e.g., by the user) to increase the speaker volume (in the user's headset), such as by rotating a dial until the desired volume is reached. The game/chat audio control input104(e.g., a dial potentiometer) can be actuated (e.g., by the user) to vary (e.g., balance) how much game audio and how much chat audio the user will hear (e.g., in the ear cups of their headset); the more game audio is desired, the less chat audio will be heard and vice-versa.

The controller100can also have an input button106to selectively actuate a surround sound feature. Though not shown, the controller100optionally has a switch (e.g., toggle switch) actuatable to select the console type with which the controller100is used to ensure audio can be passed from the console to the controller100.

With continued reference toFIGS. 1-3, the controller100includes several female connectors or ports, optionally including one or more of: a headset audio port110, local chat network ports112, an optical audio input port114, a USB input port116and a streaming output port118. The headset audio port110can receive a headset audio connector140(seeFIG. 4) from a headset (not shown). As shown inFIG. 4, the headset audio connector140can optionally be a 3.5 mm 4-pole connector. The headset can optionally be a passive headset that includes a microphone (e.g., an inline mic). The local chat network ports112can be used to interconnect multiple controllers100, as further discussed below, with interconnect cables160(e.g.,160A-160C inFIG. 6;160A-160D inFIG. 7). The optical audio input port114can connect via an optical cable230(seeFIG. 5) to the console C1, C2to receive game audio from the console C1, C2. The USB input port116can connect via a USB cable250(seeFIG. 5) to the console C1, C2, via which the controller100can receive power from the console C1, C2. Accordingly, the controller100does not require a separate power cord or connector. Additionally, the USB input port116can receive firmware updates via the USB cable250. Optionally, the USB input port116also receives chat audio from the console C1, C2when gaming outside the local network of the controller100. The streaming output port118can connect to external devices via a cable to optionally output chat audio from the local network. For example, chat audio can be provided to judges, audience or fans via the streaming output port118.

The controller100can optionally have a broadcast switch119operable by a user between two or more positions. Optionally, the broadcast switch119can be a slidable switch that can be slid between two or more positions. In one position, the broadcast switch119can enable streaming of chat audio mixed with game audio from the controller100. In another position (e.g., a second position), the broadcast switch119can enable streaming of only chat audio (e.g., disallow streaming of game audio) from the controller100. Optionally, the broadcast switch119can be operated into another position (e.g., a third position), to disallow streaming altogether from the controller100. ThoughFIG. 1shows the broadcast switch119as a slidable switch, one of skill in the art will recognize that the broadcast switch119can have other forms, such as a dial or a lever. In use, a user can connect a cable (e.g., a 3.5 mm cable) to the streaming out port118to stream out audio from the controller100(e.g., stream out game audio and chat audio if multiple controllers100are connected to each other and each controller is connected to a game console). The user can actuate the broadcast switch119to stream out game audio along with the combined chat audio from all the controller100that are connected together, or alternatively stream out only combined chat audio.

The controller100can be used in two modes: single player (e.g., home environment) mode and multi-player (e.g., tournament environment) mode. In single player mode, a single controller100would be connected to the console C1, C2(e.g., via cables230,250) and to the user's headset HS. The user would receive chat audio (e.g., via the cable250) and game audio (e.g., via the cable230) from the console C1, C2. In this mode, the user can chat with others on-line via the console C1, C2, and can control the overall audio volume and the balance between game audio and chat audio as described above.

In multi-player mode, multiple controllers100are used, each connecting to the headset HS of one of the gamers. Game audio is received from the console C1, C2by connecting the cable250to the optical audio input port114of one of the controllers100. However, since there are multiple gamers connected via the multiple controllers100, the controllers100are connected with interconnecting cables160, as described further below, to form a local chat network. Advantageously, the interconnected controllers100substantially provide for direct, zero latency communication between gamers in the local chat network. In this mode, the chat does not come from the console C1, C2via the USB input port116, but rather from other players connected by the local chat network.

FIG. 6shows one embodiment of multiple controllers100connected to each other with interconnect cables160A,160B,160C. In the illustrated embodiment, the optical cable230is connected to the optical audio input port114of one of the controllers100, and chat audio is provided via the interconnect cables160A,160B,160C as further described below.

FIG. 7shows another arrangement of multiple controllers100connected to each other in a loop with interconnect cables160A-160D to provide chat audio in a local chat network between the gamers connected to the controllers100. In the illustrated embodiment, the chat audio flows between controllers, for example from controller100A to controller100B, from controller100B to controller100C, from controller100C to controller100D, and from controller100D to controller100A, or vice versa, with each of the controllers100A-D summing only two audio input signals, namely the audio from the gamer's headset connected to the particular controller and the chat audio input signal from one other controller in the loop. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller100D is connected to the controller100A with an actual cable160D. However, in another embodiment, described further below in connection withFIGS. 15A-15B, the controller100D connects with the controller100A via an internal line that runs through the interconnect cables160A-160C. Optionally, the interconnect cables160A-160C can be HDMI cables.

FIGS. 8-14illustrate schematic diagrams of electronic circuitry of a video game audio controller, such as the video game audio controller100ofFIG. 1, that perform at least some of the functions described herein. The following description and references are not meant to limit the scope of the disclosure. One of skill in the art will recognize from the disclosure hereinafter that alternative structures, devices and/or processes can be used in place of, or in combination with, the structures, devices and/or processes described below.

In particular,FIG. 8illustrates a system block diagram for a video game audio controller, such as the video game audio controller100. The controller100, like any of the controllers described herein, will have a printed circuit board (PCB) and one or more of the following: audio amplifiers, an audio codec, a micro-controller unit (MCU), stand-alone sound card. For example, the controller100can have a microcontroller unit (MCU)150that receives the inputs described above, and provides outputs to the headset HS and other controllers100. The MCU150is optionally model ST32F466 by ST Microelectronics. The controller100can include an audio CODEC152. Optionally, the audio CODEC152has digital sound processing, such as model AK4961 by Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation. The controller100can also have an audio processor154and digital audio receiver156.

The controller100receives an audio signal I2S_Local Mic from the headset HS, and receives a chat audio signal A_in from Voice_A or B_in from Voice_B from another controller that is electrically connected to the controller100. The signals I2S_Local Mic and A_in or B_in are summed and output out of the controller100as signal B_out or A_out, which is communicated to another controller connected to the controller100.

FIG. 9illustrates a power block diagram for the controller100.FIG. 10illustrates power supply circuit diagrams for the controller100.FIG. 11illustrates circuit diagrams of the MCU150. The MCU150can optionally have two electronic switches151A,151B that operate as further described below.FIG. 12illustrates circuit diagrams for the audio processor154and audio receiver156.FIG. 13illustrates circuit diagrams for the audio CODEC152.FIG. 14illustrates circuit diagrams for other features of the controller100, including the volume control102and the game/chat audio control104.

FIG. 15shows a schematic view of multiple gaming audio controllers100A′-100C′ connected by cables160A′-160B′ in a bi-directional manner as described below. The controllers100A′-100C′ are connected to headsets HS1-HS3, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the voice audio signal flows in a bi-directional manner between adjacent controllers via one or more wires D in the cables160A′-160B′. Additionally, the cables160A′-160B′ have a command/data line R1, R2separate from the one or more wires D that carry the voice signal. The command/data line R1, R2defines a loop between the controllers100A′-100C′. The command/data line R1, R2, when the interconnect cables160A′,160B′ are connected to the controllers100A′-100C′, is detected by the MCU150in each of the controllers100A′-100C′. When the command/data line R1, R2is detected, the MCU150utilizes the switches151A,151B to define the loop for the command/data line R1, R2, which enables the chat/voice signal to pass audio to the adjacent controller (e.g., from controller10B′ to controllers100A,100B′, etc.). When only one side of the controller is plugged in (e.g., controller100A′,100C′), the MCU150detects that it is either the first or the last controller in the chain and one or both of the switches151A,151B are actuated to compete the loop for the command/data line R1, R2. Once the MCU150detects the command/data line R1, R2(e.g., the connection of the cables160A′-160B′ to the controller100B′), the firmware (e.g., in the controller100B′) enables the chat/voice signal to pass to the controller for which the command/data line R1, R2signal was detected. When the loop is not completed, the chat/voice signal is not enabled to pass. Notably, the chat/voice signal does not pass via or through the switches151A,151B.

Each controller100A′-100C′ has control circuitry (e.g., such as that shown inFIGS. 8-14) that enable it to: a) sum its headset audio signal (e.g., H2) with a chat audio signal (e.g., A02) from a previous controller (if connected thereto) to provide a first combined audio signal and communicate the first combined audio signal to a next controller (if connected thereto), b) sum its headset audio signal (e.g., H2) with a chat audio signal (e.g., A04) from the next controller (if connected thereto) to provide a second combined audio signal and communicate the second combined audio signal to the previous controller (if connected thereto), and c) sum the chat audio signals from the previous controller (if connected thereto) and the next controller (if connected thereto) to provide a third combined audio signal and communicate the third combined audio signal to the headset (e.g., HS2). In each of these operations, the control circuitry is summing only two audio signals (e.g., summing two chat signals to provide to the headset, summing a chat audio signal and a headset audio signal to provide to another controller). ThoughFIG. 15shows three controllers100A′-100C′ connected in the local chat network, one of skill in the art will recognize that the local chat network can have fewer (e.g., 2) or more (e.g., 4, 5, 6, 10, etc.) controllers to accommodate any number of players.

Advantageously, the interconnect cables160A′-160B′ can be bi-directional to allow the audio signal to flow in both directions, as shown schematically inFIG. 15. The local chat network ports112can optionally have a dedicated signal pin that electrically connect to the dedicated one or more wires D that carry the audio signal in the interconnect cables160A′-160B′ and electrically connect to a trace pattern, e.g., in the PCB of each controller100A′-100C′, to provide a continuous path from the first controller100A′ to the last controller100C′. The circuitry in the controllers100A′-100C′ can therefore route the audio signal bi-directionally between the controllers100A′-100C without requiring an external cable that connects these controllers100C′,100A′ (such as the one shown in embodiment inFIG. 7

In use, several gaming audio controllers, such as controllers100,100A′-100C′, one for every gamer, can be connected together with interconnect cables200,160A-160C,160A′-160C′. A headset HS, one for every gamer, can be connected to each of the controllers100,100A′-100C′. The video game console, such as console C1, C2, can be connected to the controllers100,100A′-100C′ (e.g., each of the controllers100,100A′-100C′ can be connected to a separate videogame console). Each of the gamers can individually operate the master volume control input102on their controller to vary the speaker volume in their headset HS (such as by rotating a dial until the desired volume is reached), and can also individually operate the game/chat audio control input104to vary (e.g., balance) how much game audio and how much chat audio they hear via their headset HS; the more game audio is desired, the less chat audio will be heard and vice-versa. The controllers100,100A′-100C′ can be connected to each other in any number (e.g., 2 controllers connected together, 3 controllers connected together, 4 controllers connected together, etc.). Optionally, an individual gamer can use the controller100,100A′ when paying by themselves (e.g., via the internet with other gamers), so that the controller100,100A′ can be used individually as well as with a group of gamers. Further, as discussed above, each gamer can optionally actuate the broadcast switch119on his controller100,100A′ to allow streaming of their chat audio with or without game audio.

FIG. 16A-16Bshow the video game controller100attached to a clamp assembly300for coupling the controller100(e.g., to a table top) to substantially fix the position of the controller100. The clamp assembly300can have a body310that can optionally be C-shaped or L-shaped. The assembly300can also have an adjustable base320attached to a screw330. The height of the base320relative to a bottom of the controller100can be adjusted, for example by rotating the screw330relative to the body310. Optionally, the assembly300can have a rotatable handle or dial340coupled to the screw330to facilitate rotation of the screw330to adjust the height of the base320. Alternatively, a lever can be coupled to the screw330instead of the dial340. The assembly300can be clamped about a support member (e.g., table top) to fix the location of the controller100during use and inhibit movement of the controller100during use, such as due to inadvertent contact from the user with the controller100.

FIGS. 17A-17Fshow a top, left, front, right and back view, respectively, of a video game audio controller, such as the video game controller100,100A′-100C′, according to one embodiment.

While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the systems and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present inventions is defined only by reference to the appended claims.

Features, materials, characteristics, or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The protection is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Moreover, while operations may be depicted in the drawings or described in the specification in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Other operations that are not depicted or described can be incorporated in the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the described operations. Further, the operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the processes illustrated and/or disclosed may differ from those shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described above may be removed, others may be added. Furthermore, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Conditional language, such as “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately”, “about”, “generally,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of the stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms “generally parallel” and “substantially parallel” refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degree.

The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere in this specification, and may be defined by claims as presented in this section or elsewhere in this specification or as presented in the future. The language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to the examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive.

Of course, the foregoing description is that of certain features, aspects and advantages of the present invention, to which various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, the invention need not feature all of the objects, advantages, features and aspects discussed above. Thus, for example, those of skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. In addition, while a number of variations of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications and methods of use, which are within the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of these specific features and aspects of embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the discussed containers.