U.S. Pat. No. 7,297,061

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 5, a game controller100of the present invention operates a video game system. In particular, the game controller100communicates with a game console120of the video game system (not shown) to operate a game, as is well known in the art. Generally, game controller100includes a housing101having a top member102and a bottom member104that includes at least one control or control device, but preferably includes multiple control devices such as first and second controls or first and second joysticks106aand106b, and supports electronics therein including a microprocessor124, as illustrated inFIG. 5, which communicates with the game software121associated with the game console120, using at least one electrical connector or electrical connection. The top housing102include openings or slots such as openings115aand115bthat correspond to each of the control devices106aand106b. The top housing102connects to or is otherwise attached to bottom housing104to enclose the internal components of the game controller such as the microprocessor124.

In one embodiment, a decorative cover105is attached to the outside of at least the top housing102and includes openings that correspond to the size and shape of the control devices on the game controller. The decorative cover may be made using a suitable material such as rubber, plastic or the like.

In one embodiment, the first and second joysticks106aand106boutput analog data corresponding to the direction (e.g. up, down, right, left) of the joysticks106aand106bas the joysticks are operated by a player of the video game. The analog data from joysticks106aand106bis converted to digital data and communicated to the microprocessor124of game controller100which in turn communicates with the video game software121to operate the game.

In one embodiment, the game controller100includes a switch mechanism110for switching between different modes of operation (i.e., normal/default mode and the invert mode) for a control device, which enables a player to choose between the different modes of operation. For example, in the normal or default mode, actuating the control device or joystick106bupwardly directs a corresponding indicator, icon or the like on the video game display122upwardly, and likewise, actuating the joystick106bdownwardly directs the indicator downwardly on the display122.

Conversely, in the invert or inverted mode, actuating the joystick downwardly directs the indicator of the video game upwardly on the display and actuating the joystick upwardly directs the indicator of the video game downwardly on the display, similar to the control device of an airplane. It should be appreciated that normal and invert modes can be set for either of the above operations as long as the normal and invert modes result in opposite responses of an indicator or indicators in the video game, respectively, when a player is operating joysticks106aor106bof the game controller100.

Also, it should be appreciated that the switch mechanism110may be associated with any directional movement associated with a video game, such as up, down, left, right or diagonal directions or any other suitable directional movement of a control device. In one embodiment, the normal mode directs an indicator of a video game to the right and left in response to actuation of the joysticks106aor106bto the right and left, respectively, and the inverted mode directs the indicator of the video game to the left and right in response to actuation of the joysticks106or106bto the left and right, respectively.

In one embodiment, switch mechanism110includes switch housing116and a switch such as mechanical switch114(shown inFIGS. 4A,4B and4C) connected to the switch housing, where the switch114is operated by a player of the video game to achieve the preferred mode of operation for the control device. In one embodiment, switch114employs a hardware “flag” that electrically communicates with the microprocessor124of game controller100via one or more electrical connectors118to indicate which mode of operation has been selected by a player. In particular, the player physically moves the switch114to either the normal or default mode, or to the invert or inverted mode. The switch114then communicates the player's selection to microprocessor124. Switch114remains in a constant state (i.e., normal or invert mode) until the player subsequently moves the switch114.

In another embodiment, switch114employs a software flag. In this embodiment, switch114temporarily remains in either the normal or invert states or modes. The microprocessor124is programmed to recognize the state, mode or position of switch114before and after the switch is actuated by the player, as described above, and returns switch114to its original state after a preset period of time.

Once the microprocessor124receives the output data126from joysticks106aand106band the desired mode of operation, the microprocessor124communicates this data to the game console120. Specifically, when the player selects the normal mode of operation, the player either leaves switch114in the normal/default position or physically moves the switch from the invert position to the normal/default position. The microprocessor120communicates the output data or value126from the joysticks106aand/or106bto game console120, as is known in the art. When the player selects the opposite mode or the invert mode of operation by either moving switch114to the invert position or leaving switch114in the invert position, microprocessor124communicates the inverted data or value to game console120by one of two methods.

A first method of inverting the joystick data or value employs a potentiometer. A potentiometer has three connections: a plus connection, a “wiper” connection, and a ground connection where the plus and wiper connections have either a “plus” or a “minus” resistance. In the normal mode of operation, for example, as the wiper connection moves away from the ground connection, the resistance increases which thereby increases the control value or joystick value at the analog to digital converter128. Accordingly, to produce an inverted value, the plus and ground connections are physically swapped.

A second method of inverting the joystick data or value employs a mathematical method using the maximum value that can be produced by the circuit. The maximum value is electrically determined based on the components and software of the game controller100. An inverted or invert value is determined by subtracting a read value or actual value of the joystick output value from the known maximum value. For example, if the maximum value is sixty-four and the output value received from the joysticks106aor106b(through the analog to digital converter128) is forty, the inverted value is twenty-four (i.e., (64−40)=24).

Once the inverted values are determined by either of the above two methods, the microprocessor124communicates the inverted values to the game console120and software121which directs the indicator or indicators of the video game to respond accordingly. Since the game software receives the inverted values, the software directs the game as if the player were operating the controls or joysticks in the opposite direction.

Accordingly, the present invention enables a player to invert the operation of one or more control devices on a game controller instead of using complicated setup procedures employed by the game software. In particular, the present invention enables a player to easily switch the mode of operation for the control device by actuating, changing or moving switch114located on the game controller100to a desired operational mode.

In another embodiment, at least one indicator such as first and second indicators112aand112b, respectively, are associated with each of the different modes of operation to identify the mode of operation. For example inFIGS. 4A and 4B, the first indicator112aand the second indicator112beach include text or a phrase such as “DEFAULT” and “INVERTED” which identify the different modes associated with switch114. It should be appreciated that the indicators may be text, audio, audio-visual, symbols or any suitable indicator that identifies the modes of operation.

In an alternative embodiment, the game controller includes a plurality of control devices such as a plurality of joysticks. Each of the joysticks is controlled by a single switch mechanism. In this embodiment, a player uses the switch mechanism to change the mode of operation to the same mode of operation for all of the control devices. In another embodiment, the game controller includes a plurality of switch mechanisms where each switch mechanism is associated with a different control device. In this embodiment, the player uses each switch mechanism to change the operational mode for one or more of the control devices. It should be appreciated that any suitable number of control devices and switch mechanisms may be included on the game controller to control the operations of one or more of the control devices.

In one embodiment the control device of the game controller is a touch screen.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.