U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,858

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a system1in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The system1includes a hand-held game device10, a game console16and game controller20. The device10and console16are connected via a first connection22and the console16is connected to the game controller20via a second connection26. As shown, the connection22is made between interface28on the hand-held device10and a first interface30on the game console16. Connection26is made between a second interface32on the game console16and an interface36on the game controller20. The game console16may also be optionally connected to a peripheral device38or, as is explained in further detail below, the peripheral device38may be incorporated into the game console. In the system1, commands generated at hand-held device10are processed by game console16and transmitted to game controller20using connections22and26. In a preferred embodiment, such commands may include haptic information that causes the game controller20to communicate a sense of touch to a user, such as rumbling or vibrations. Conversely, signals generated by game controller20are processed by game console16and transmitted to hand-held device10.

FIG. 2illustrates a hand-held device210that may be used in the system shown inFIG. 1in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. As shown, in the preferred embodiment the device210includes at least one joystick215, a screen218and a set of control buttons220. The device210typically also includes a central processing unit226and a graphics processing unit230. In addition, the device210includes ports or interfaces234,236for connecting to other devices, such as game console16. In a preferred embodiment, these ports may comprise ports for universal serial bus (USB) or WiFi connections. The device20may also include additional ports that allow connection to a monitor or display. The device210may further include a receptacle or opening240for receiving game media such as a game card or disk (not shown). In general, the hand-held device210operates under the control of CPU226, which processes game information for display on the screen218via graphics processor230.

FIG. 3illustrates a game console316in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. Game console316includes a central processing unit320, which controls the operations of the game console. Typically, central processing unit320comprises a processor that is capable of handling the large computational workload required of a game console. The game console also includes a video processor324that interfaces with a monitor or display (not shown). Game console316further includes a plurality of ports or interfaces328for transmitting and receiving data to or from a game controller, such as game controller20, hand-held game10,210or other electronic devices. These ports include wired and wireless connections such as those provided using a USB or WiFi interface connection. The game console316also includes a receptacle330for receiving gaming media such as a card or disk. As is explained in further detail below, in a preferred embodiment the game console includes a peripheral device336, which may be incorporated in or connected to the game console316via a cable or wirelessly.

Turning now toFIG. 4, there is illustrated a game controller420in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the game controller420includes a pair of joysticks422,424, and various control buttons A through L. The controller also includes one or more ports428, such as USB and/or other wireless transceivers, for transmitting and receiving control signals or other gaming information to and from a game console, such as 16 or 316, or a hand-held game device, such 10 or 210. In the preferred embodiment, the game controller includes the capability to respond to haptic type commands including commands that cause the controller to vibrate or rumble.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 5, in another, aspect, the present invention includes a method for communicating messages containing gaming information from a hand-held device10to a game controller20through the game console16and/or communicating such information from the game controller20through the game console16to the hand-held device10. More specifically, in the preferred embodiment, messages from the hand-held device comprise a command that includes haptic information.

In particular, in accordance with the method500shown inFIG. 5, the hand-held device510is preferably equipped with a game that causes haptic information to be generated. As the hand-held device510is advantageously designed to be small in size, it does not usually include the capability to respond to haptic information such as by vibrating or the like. Accordingly, in order to give a user the full effect of games that generate haptic commands, an aspect of the present invention provides this capability by using a game console, such as game console316or520to translate commands from the hand-held device into commands that are compatible with a game controller that has haptic function capability such as controller540.

As indicated inFIG. 5, in this aspect of the invention, the hand-held device510generates a command515that is sent to the game console520. As the command is not in a format suitable for direct transmittal to game controller530, it undergoes translation at the game console520. In the preferred embodiment, the game console520includes a protocol that translates the command information from a first format into a second format. Preferably, the protocol operates at the application layer of the 7-layer open system interconnect (OSI) model and employs a socket type connection. In addition, as discussed below, the protocol operates bi-directionally by also translating control information sent by the game controller540into a format that is suitable for the hand-held device.

After translation of the command information at step517, the game console520transmits this information519to the game controller540, which responds to the information. As discussed above, preferably, the command information includes haptic information which when received by game controller540causes the game controller540to rumble or vibrate.

As is also shown inFIG. 5, the game controller540transmits control information522destined for the hand-held device to the game console520, where such information undergoes translation526into a format that is compatible with the hand held device510. In addition to remedying format incompatibilities; as part of its translation, the protocol also resolves differences between the functionality of controller buttons on the hand-held game device510and the game controller540. For example, in some instances, the hand-held device may include only one joystick whereas the game controller may include two joysticks. Thus, whereas the game console may receive control information from each joystick on the controller540, the hand-held device is equipped to only handle information from a single joystick. In this instant, as part of its translation processing, the game console520preferably maps the information associated with both joysticks on the game controller into control information that would be generated by the single joystick on the hand-held device.

After translating the controller information (step526), the game console520then transmits the translated control information530to the hand-held device510. Typically, control information522,530comprise information that controls the actions of the game being played using the hand held device510. For example, this information may control the actions of avatars within a game, what the user sees on screen (e.g., panning a screen across objects in the game) and any other actions associated with playing video games.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the operating system used to manage the game applications (e.g., software) may be augmented to include the translation protocol described above. In this way, the game console may then act as a translation device for the hand-held device and allow a wider variety of games to be played using the hand-held device. In particular, games that require the functionality required by game controllers20,420and540may then be played using the hand-held device. In addition, since game consoles are generally equipped with more powerful processors than hand-held devices, the game console's processor may be shared with the hand-held device. This would allow more processor hungry applications to run on the hand-held device, thereby lowering its processor design requirements. This may allow a different class of hand-held game devices, e.g., tamaguchis, access to more sophisticated or processor hungry applications.

In another aspect of the present invention, the game console may also function as a gateway between different hand-held game devices. For example, if the game console includes a WiFi or other connection, it may be used to link a local hand-held device, e.g., one proximate the game console, with a remote hand-held device that is connected using the WiFi connection. In this way, games that allow interactions among multiple users may be played through a game console although the users may be at different geographic locations, e.g., different states, countries, continents.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the hand-held game device10,210,510may control one or more peripheral devices integrated in or coupled to the game console16,316,520. For example, if the game console is equipped with a camera, the hand-held device may pass command information to the game console to operate the camera causing it to take a photograph or shoot a video. As another example, the peripheral device may comprise a microphone. In this way, the hand-held game device may be used to perform games which require the user to use a microphone without requiring a microphone jack to be built into the hand-held device.

In accordance with a most preferred embodiment, the hand-held device, game console and game controller respectively comprise a SONY PLAYSTATION PORTABLE (PSP), PLAYSTATION game console and a dual shock controller. In this regard, a user may play a game on the PSP using a dual shock controller that is linked to the PSP through the PS3. In addition to the advantages discussed above, if equipped with a video output port, the PSP on screen information may be outputted to a display so that a user would be provided with a different playing experience than that provided using only the hand-held device.

Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to, be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.