U.S. Pat. No. 6,881,147

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a system block diagram of a video game controller102in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention coupled to a game console100. The video game controller may be a control pad, a steering wheel, a gun, a joystick, a mouse, a keyboard and/or any other suitable video game control device/input peripheral. The game console100is also coupled to a monitor104, which can be a computer monitor, a TV screen, a projection screen, or any other device which may be used to display the graphics and video of the video game for viewing by the user. In other embodiments, the game console may have an integrated monitor, and a standalone (i.e., external) monitor may not be required. The game console100, for example, may be a personal computer or a dedicated video game console such as XBOX®, PLAYSTATION®, PLAYSTATION 2®, NINTENDO 64®, or the like.

The video game controller102, for example, may be plugged into a standard controller port of the game console100, when it is a dedicated video game console. The game controller102may also be plugged into any other suitable parallel or serial ports available on a personal computer or a dedicated game console. The video game controller102, for example, may be plugged into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

The video game controller102has integrated thereon a speaker108and a microphone110. In other words, the speaker and the microphone are built into the video game controller102. The user may use the microphone and the speaker to communicate with other players at remote locations while playing on-line games. This way, the user can communicate with other on-line game players without having to wear a cumbersome headset and/or be bothered by wire(s) dangling from the ear. Further, the user does not have to deal with external microphone or with speakers that may be coupled to the game console and/or the monitor, which may be far away from the user. The on-line games may include, for example, games available from XBOX LIVE™ provided by Microsoft Corporation. As another example, the on-line games may include games compatible with the Network Adaptor for PLAYSTATION 2® provided by Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Other on-line games may include any video game which provides for multiple players at multiple remote locations to play the game simultaneously. The video game controller102also includes a built-in video camera114, which may be a digital video camera. The video camera114may be used to take video images of the user using the video game controller or other images and transmit them through the interface circuitry112and over the bus106. The video images, for example, may be displayed on the monitor104to be viewed by the user, stored in memory on the game console100and/or transmitted to remote game consoles while playing the on-line games for viewing by players at the remote game consoles. In other embodiments, the video game controller may have a slot or a port for connecting an output of an external video camera instead of, or in addition to, an integrated video camera.

The video game controller102includes interface circuitry112for communicating with the game console over the bus106, which may be serial or parallel depending on the type of port used for video game interface. The video game controller102may have disposed thereon a number of control elements such as buttons, switches, joysticks, keys, dials and/or the like for receiving input from the user. The input provided by the user may then be converted to suitable electrical signals and provided to the game console over the bus106.

The game console100may also send game related information to the video game controller102. For example, the video game controller102may have one or more motors for allowing it to vibrate in response to a signal from the game console100. For such vibration and/or to meet other power requirements, the video game controller102may receive power from the game console over the bus106, it may have an internal power source (e.g., a battery), and/or it may receive power from a power outlet.

The speaker108and the microphone110are electrically coupled to the interface circuitry112so that the microphone converts voice into electrical signals, and the interface circuitry112transmits the electrical signals over the bus106. Further, electrical signals representative of sound (e.g., voice, sound effects and/or game related sounds) may be received by the interface circuitry112, and may be provided to the speaker108for generation of audible sound signals. The video camera114is electrically coupled to the interface circuitry112for transmission of the video images.

FIG. 2is a system block diagram of a video game controller120in another exemplary embodiment coupled wirelessly to the game console100through a remote interface module122. The video game controller120may be a control pad, a steering wheel, a gun, a mouse, a keyboard, a joystick and/or any other suitable video game control device/input peripheral. The game console100is also coupled to the monitor104.

The video game controller120interfaces with the remote interface module122over a wireless communication channel, which may be a radio frequency channel or BLUETOOTH™. The video game controller120includes an internal power source (e.g., a battery) for its operation and for wireless communication with the remote interface module122. The wireless controller120allows a user an additional freedom of movement, since the user is not limited by the length of a cable connecting the video game controller and the game console.

The remote interface module122, for example, may be plugged into a standard controller port of the game console100, such as a dedicated video game console. In another embodiment, the remote interface module122may be plugged into any suitable parallel or serial port available on a personal computer or a dedicated video game console. The remote interface module122, for example, may be plugged into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port of the game console100. In yet another embodiment, the remote interface module122may be integrated with the game console100. The remote interface module122may include an internal power source (e.g., a battery) and/or may receive power from the game console100.

The video game controller120has integrated thereon (i.e., built-in) a speaker124and a microphone126. The video game controller120includes interface circuitry128, which is coupled to a remote transceiver130for wireless communication with the remote interface module122. The video game controller120may have disposed thereon a number of control elements such as buttons, switches, joysticks, keys, dials, and/or the like for receiving input from the user. The input provided by the user may then be converted to suitable electrical signals and provided to the remote interface module122over the wireless link.

The video game controller120also includes a built-in video camera131, which may be a digital video camera. The video camera131may be used to take video images of the user using the video game controller or other images and transmit them through the interface circuitry128and the remote transceiver130. The video images, for example, may be displayed on the monitor104to be viewed by the user, stored in memory on the game console100and/or transmitted to one or more remote game consoles while playing the on-line games for viewing by players at the remote game console. In other embodiments, the video game controller may have a slot or a port for connecting an output of an external video camera instead of, or in addition to, an integrated video camera.

The remote interface module122includes a remote transceiver134for interfacing with the remote transceiver130of the video game controller120over the wireless link, which for example, may include radio frequency, BLUETOOTH and/or any other suitable wireless channel. The game console100may also send game related information to the video game controller120. For example, the video game controller120may have one or more motors for allowing it to vibrate in response to a signal from the game console100. The motors, for example, may operate using the internal power source.

The speaker124and the microphone126are electrically coupled to the interface circuitry128so that the microphone converts voice into electrical signals, and the interface circuitry128provides the electrical signals to the remote transceiver130to be transmitted over the wireless communication channel. Further, electrical signals representative of sound (e.g., voice, sound effects and/or game related sounds) may be received by the interface circuitry128through the remote transceiver130, and may be provided to the speaker124for generation of audible sound signals. The video camera131is also electrically coupled to the interface circuitry128for transmission of the video images.

FIG. 3is a system diagram of an on-line video game system in another exemplary embodiment according to the present invention. In the system ofFIG. 3, a game console202is coupled to a game console212over a network200. The network200, for example, may include the Internet, an intranet, and/or any other public or private networks that are suitable for on-line gaming. The game consoles202and212, for example, may include a personal computer that runs on-line game software or any of the dedicated game consoles such as, for example, XBOX®, PLAYSTATION®, PLAYSTATION 2® and/or NINTENDO 64®. The personal computer and the dedicated game consoles may have a CD/DVD/mini disk that contains the software for one or more on-line games. The on-line games, for example, may also include those provided through XBOX LIVE™ or PLAYSTATION®.

While only two game consoles are shown inFIG. 3, in practice, there may be more than two game consoles connected to one another over the network200. The game consoles connected through the network200may be game consoles as shown inFIG. 1,FIG. 2or FIG.5and as described above. Further, the network200may also have connected thereon one or more network devices that are not related to the on-line gaming. The game consoles and other network devices, for example, may communicate with one another using one of the various different networking protocols such as, for example, TCP/IP.

The game console202is coupled to a monitor204that may be used to display graphics and video related to the on-line game for a user at the location of the game console202. The monitor204may also be used to display video images of the user or other players and/or other video images that are received over the network200. In other embodiments, the game console202may include an integrated monitor, and the monitor204may not be needed.

The game console202is controlled using a video game controller206, which may be substantially the same as the video game controller102ofFIG. 1, and may be a control pad, steering wheel, gun, mouse, keyboard and/or any other video game control device/input peripheral. The video game controller206may have one or more control elements such as buttons, keys, switches, joysticks, dials and/or the like for receiving input from the user to be provided to the game console202.

The video game controller206has a speaker208and a microphone210, which are integrated with the video game controller. This way, external headsets, earphones, headphones and/or microphones are not needed. The built-in speaker208and microphone210allow the user to communicate verbally with users at remote locations coupled to the network200. The video game controller206may also include an integrated/built-in video camera (e.g., a digital video camera) or a port for an external video camera so that the user can engage in video conferences with other players while playing on-line games. The microphone, the speaker, and/or the video camera allows the user or users at the game console202to communicate with other players of the on-line game, such as the user or users playing at the game console212, or other game consoles connected through the network200.

The game console212may be any one of personal computer or dedicated video game consoles, and may be substantially the same as the game console202. The game console212is coupled to a monitor214for displaying video and graphics related to the on-line game. The monitor214may also be used to display video images of the user or other players and/or other video images that are received over the network200. In other embodiments, the game console212may include an integrated monitor, and the monitor214may not be needed.

The game console212is controlled using a wireless video game controller216. The video game controller216may be substantially the same as the video game controller120ofFIG. 2, and may be a control pad, a steering wheel, a gun, a mouse, a keyboard, a joystick and/or any other suitable video game control device/input peripheral. The video game controller216may have disposed thereon a number of control elements such as buttons, switches, joysticks, keys, dials and/or the like for receiving input from the user to be provided to the game console212.

To enable proper operation of the wireless video game controller216, a remote interface module222is plugged into a port of or integrated with the game console212. The port may be any suitable parallel or serial port (e.g., USB port), and, if the game console212is a dedicated video game console, the port may be a standard video game controller port.

The remote interface module communicates with the wireless video game controller using any suitable wireless communications technology such as, for example, radio frequency communications and/or BLUETOOTH™. The video game controller216has a built-in speaker218and a built-in microphone220. Using the built-in speaker218and the built-in microphone220, a user at the location of the game console212may communicate with other on-line game players of the network200. For example, the on-line game player on the game console202may communicate verbally with the on-line game player on the game console212over the network200while playing an on-line game together. Of course, there may be other players on-line who have controllers with integrated speaker and headphone according to the embodiments of the present invention, and/or conventional headsets, earphone, headphones, microphones, and the like, who are on the network200and who are playing the on-line game together with the players on the game consoles202and212. The video game controller216may also include an integrated/built-in video camera (e.g., a digital video camera) or a port for an external video camera so that the user can engage in video conferences with other players while playing on-line games.

FIG. 4is a side view of an expansion module252plugged into a video game controller250in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The expansion module252has a microphone260and a speaker262. The expansion module also includes an adapter254, which plugs into an “upper” expansion slot (“expansion port”)256of the video game controller250. The adapter254includes interface circuitry for interfacing with the video game controller250.

The adapter254may be separated from the rest of the expansion module252, which is plugged into a plug264of the adapter254for communication of digitized sound (e.g., voice) signals. In other embodiments, the adapter254may be implemented in a single housing with the rest of the expansion module252. In still other embodiments, the adapter254may be an existing adapter that is configured to be plugged into an expansion port of a video game controller, and the expansion module may interface with the existing adapter. The adapter254has a thumb wheel255for controlling volume, for example.

The expansion module252has an extending portion266for plugging into a “lower” expansion slot (“expansion port”)258. This coupling between the expansion module252and the controller250provides a structural support and stability to the expansion module252.

FIG.5. is a system block diagram of an expansion module320, which may be substantially the same as the expansion module252of FIG.4. The expansion module320includes a built-in speaker308and a built-in microphone310. The expansion module320is electrically coupled to a video game controller320through an adapter318. In other embodiments, the adapter may be an existing adapter and/or a unit separate from the expansion module320.

As with embodiments described above, the video game controller302may be a control pad, a steering wheel, a gun, a mouse, a keyboard, a joystick and/or any other suitable video game control device/input peripheral. The video game controller302may have disposed thereon a number of control elements such as buttons, switches, joysticks, keys, dials and/or the like for receiving input from the user.

The video game controller302has at least one port332which can interface with the expansion module320. For example, if the video game controller302is a game controller for the XBOX video game console, it may have two expansion slots for memory cards or other accessories. The expansion module320may be electrically coupled through an expansion slot (i.e., port332) on such a controller, such as an upper expansion slot, for example. In addition, as can be seen inFIG. 4, the expansion module320may have an extending portion that physically plugs into a lower expansion slot to provide physical support and stability.

The microphone310and the speaker308are electrically coupled to the adapter318so that the microphone converts voice into electrical signals that are transmitted through the adapter318and the video game controller302to the game console100. Further, the speaker308converts electrical signals received from the game console300through the video game controller302and the adapter318into audible signals.

The expansion module320may have a connector or a plug for electrically coupling a video camera314. In other embodiments, the expansion module may include an integrated video camera.

InFIG. 5, the game controller302interfaces with the game console100, which is coupled to the monitor104, through interface circuitry312. In an alternate embodiment, the game controller302can be coupled wirelessly to the game console100and interface with the game console100through a wireless communication channel similar to the one explained with regard to FIG.2.

Further, the expansion module320and the game controller302may be used to play an on-line game over a network, such as the network200of FIG.3. In that case, the expansion module320and the controller302may simply replace either the video game controller206or the video game controller216. Of course, the expansion module320and the controller302may be coupled to another video game console on the network200.

It will be appreciated by those with ordinary skill in the art that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof. The embodiments described above should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.