U.S. Pat. No. 12,179,094

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure describes a game controller system that allows a user to access and adapt the features of a game controller as well as secondary actions associated with the gaming experience. The disclosed game controller system may comprise an application (“app”), on a device external from the game controller, that is operable to adjust settings and profiles of the game controller. These settings and profiles are viewable, by the user, from a screen on the game controller. The app may be a PC app, a windows app, or a Mac app. The app may also be a mobile app for a smartphone and/or tablet.

Certain embodiments of the disclosure may be found in a game controller with a user interface. In accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure, a device, such as a smartphone or tablet, may control settings and profiles, used by the game controller, that may be displayed on the user interface of the game controller. The device may adapt and adjust the settings and profiles even while the game controller is being actively used during a game. The device may communicate with the game controller wirelessly via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or any other wireless protocol. The game controller, disclosed herein, is not platform-specific and may communicate with a game console wired or wirelessly via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or any other wireless protocol.

The disclosed game controller system offers an integrated social networking hub. In addition, the disclosed game controller system also delivers innovative applications of technology that improve a user's experience.

FIG.1illustrates an exemplary video game controller100with a graphical user interface101displaying a menu. The game controller100is configured to operate a video game and also comprises a memory, a processor and a screen101. The video game may comprise a PC game, a console game, a mobile game a Mac game or any other electronic game. The memory in the game controller100is configured to store data associated with the game controller100. The processor in the game controller100is configured to access the memory. The screen101is operably coupled to the processor and is configured to display the data to the user of the game controller100. The game controller100may comprise a wireless interface that is operable to communicate directly with a video game console. A dongle may be plugged into the video game console to allow the wireless communication. For example, a USB connection on the video game console may be adapted, via the dongle, to communicate with the game controller100via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or any other wireless protocol.

The screen101is integrated into the game controller100. The screen101may comprise a graphical user interface and a touch screen. For example, the screen101may comprise a capacitive touch display. The screen101may also comprise a high resolution display with deep blacks and rich color. The screen101may be covered by a tempered glass that may be configured with smooth3D curves on the edges.

The screen101may display programmable settings, profiles, and/or metrics. What and how elements are displayed is adjustable, via the processor, even while the game controller100is in use. The display on the screen101may provide a quick, in-game access to the settings, profiles, and/or metrics. The game controller100may comprises one or more buttons117for controlling what is displayed on the screen101. The game controller100may also comprises one or more backlit controls115.

The graphical user interface101inFIG.1illustrates a menu of core features103, a user icon105, user name107, a communication setting109, a battery charge level111, and an estimate time113until a battery must be recharged. This menu is a user-customizable dashboard that can be designed and redesigned by a user as desired for easy access to most frequently used features and to provide an overview of the controller100status. For example, an intuitive user interface may allow a user to quickly and easily change settings as desired.

Because the screen101is operable to display a customizable, user interface, the user interface may be configured to indicate primary features of the game controller and secondary features/actions of the game experience. The menu carousel103may be selectable by touch or the core feature set hubs may be accessed using the button117. As illustrated inFIG.1, the core hubs may comprise Home, Loadouts, Audio, Performance and Social. The Social Networking hub may be use to maintain audio and text communication directly from the game controller100.

The user icon105and user name107may be selectable according to who is using the game controller100at any given time. The communication setting109may toggle between allowing and blocking communication via social media and other communication devices. The processor in the game controller100may be operable to control communication from an external device.

The game controller100may comprise a rechargeable battery. The battery charge level111and the estimate time113until a battery must be recharged are useful for indicating when a battery needs to be swapped or recharged. Recharging may be performed via a cable or a dedicated cradle.

FIG.2illustrates an exemplary video game controller100with a graphical user interface displaying a social networking screen201, which may be identified via the social networking icon203.

The social networking screen201comprises customized screen elements for displaying notifications205. The social networking screen201may allow access to all of a user's important information in one feed. Alerts may be routed to the controller100for the user to review and respond. A portion of several notifications205may be shown together.

The screen201may be touch sensitive, thereby enabling a user to respond to a message of one or more messages by touching the screen of the game controller. For example, if a notification comprises an invitation, a user can decide how to deal with the invitation—be social and join a squad or stick to solo gaming.

A particular notification feed may be touched to show the full message on the controller screen201. The layout of controller screen201may be configured to suit the user's requirements. When an alert appears (even when a user is viewing another screen configuration), the user may press a location on the screen or another particular button to jump to the alert as part of the social hub screen201.

Notifications205may be received and sent via SMS text, WhatsApp™, or any other application platform for communication.

In addition to the displaying notifications205, a processor in the game controller100may also communicate audio messages and alerts to a headset or from a microphone (e.g., coupled to the headset).

The social networking screen201may allow a user to clear207communications, notifications and alerts. The social networking screen201may also allow a user to mute or unmute209future communications, notifications and alerts.

The social networking screen201may also comprise the communication setting indicator109and the battery charge level indicator111as described with reference to the exemplary display101inFIG.1.

Social networking from the game controller100may be performed via edge and/or cloud computing. The layout of social networking screen201may be designed, controlled and revealed via an application that runs on the game controller100and/or via a mobile application (app) that runs on an external device.

FIG.3illustrates an exemplary video game controller100and an associated app300running on a mobile device. As illustrated, the app300on the mobile device is used to configure and dynamically display and control the social networking screen201on the game controller100.

An app300may be configured to operate on a device external from the game controller100. The app300is operable to adjust the feed used by the game controller100even while the game controller100is in use. The device may be, for example, a smartphone or a tablet. The game controller100may comprise a wireless interface that is operable to communicate directly with the device. For example, a particular screen layout design can be created on the companion app300and sent to onboard memory of the controller100. The app300may also be enabled to access storage of a cloud service provider and be powered by the cloud. The app300may provide full access to the game controller100to customize and improve performance.

As illustrated, the app300may mirror the social networking screen201. The elements of the app300may also provide additional details as desired by the user. The app may display notifications305that are also displayed205on the social networking screen201. Likewise, the app300may allow a user to clear307communications, notifications and alerts and allow a user to mute or unmute309future communications, notifications and alerts.

Social networking accounts may be linked to the controller100via the companion app300and all alerts routed to the controller100may be reviewed and responded to either through the app300or the social networking screen201.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program may be operated by a processor on the external device via the app300and/or by a processor on the controller100. The program may operably couple (e.g., via wireless communication such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and/or cellular protocols) a game controller100to a social network. Once operably coupled, the program may communicate one or more messages over the social network via the processor, thereby allowing one or more messages to be displayed on a screen201of the game controller100.

While the present system has been described with reference to certain implementations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present system. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present method and/or system not be limited to the particular implementations disclosed, but that the present system will include all implementations falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Throughout this disclosure, the use of the terms dynamically and/or adaptively with respect to an operation means that, for example, parameters for, configurations for and/or execution of the operation may be configured or reconfigured during run-time (e.g., in, or near, real-time) based on newly received or updated information or data. For example, an operation within a transmitter and/or a receiver may be configured or reconfigured based on, for example, current, recently received and/or updated signals, information and/or data.

The present method and/or system may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present methods and/or systems may be realized in a centralized fashion in at least one computing system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computing systems. Any kind of computing system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a general-purpose computing system with a program or other code that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computing system such that it carries out the methods described herein. Another typical implementation may comprise an application specific integrated circuit or chip. Some implementations may comprise a non-transitory machine-readable (e.g., computer readable) medium (e.g., FLASH drive, optical disk, magnetic storage disk, or the like) having stored thereon one or more lines of code executable by a machine, thereby causing the machine to perform processes as described herein.

As utilized herein the terms “circuits” and “circuitry” refer to physical electronic components (i.e. hardware) and any software and/or firmware (“code”) which may configure the hardware, be executed by the hardware, and or otherwise be associated with the hardware. As used herein, for example, a particular processor and memory may comprise first “circuitry” when executing a first one or more lines of code and may comprise second “circuitry” when executing a second one or more lines of code. As utilized herein, “and/or” means any one or more of the items in the list joined by “and/or”. As an example, “x and/or y” means any element of the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. In other words, “x and/or y” means “one or both of x and y”. As another example, “x, y, and/or z” means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. In other words, “x, y and/or z” means “one or more of x, y and z”. As utilized herein, the term “exemplary” means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As utilized herein, the terms “e.g.,” and “for example” set off lists of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations. As utilized herein, circuitry is “operable” to perform a function whenever the circuitry comprises the necessary hardware and code (if any is necessary) to perform the function, regardless of whether performance of the function is disabled or not enabled (e.g., by a user-configurable setting, factory trim, etc.).