U.S. Pat. No. 8,460,105

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

At first, please refer toFIGS. 1-3illustrating an embodiment of an electronic game controller of the present invention. The electronic game controller includes a front body1, a rear body2, a function key group3, a rotating mechanism4and an orientation sensing input module5(as shown inFIG. 7). The front body1has a longitudinal axis and two lateral axes and includes a first end surface11, a second end surface12and a receiving portion13. The first end surface11is formed on the front portion of the front body1, and the second end surface12is formed on the rear portion of the front body1and is non-orthogonal to the longitudinal axis E1of the front body1. In the shown embodiment, the plane of second end surface12of the front body1forms an angle with the plane of upper surface of the front body1of more than 45 degrees but less than 90 degrees. The receiving portion13may be a groove, a protruding portion or a lateral through-hole and so on, which is formed on a lower portion of the front body1. In the embodiment, the receiving portion13is a groove with a front concave surface131and a rear concave surface132.

The rear body2includes a third end surface21, a fourth end surface22, a battery container23and a cover24. The third end surface21is formed on the front portion of the rear body2and the fourth end surface22is formed on the rear portion of the rear body2. The third end surface21is non-orthogonal to the longitudinal axis E2of the rear body2. In the embodiment, the third end surface21of the rear body2is an inclined plane and parallel to the second end surface12of the front body1. The battery container23is formed close to the fourth end surface22in a lower side surface of the rear body2. The cover24is disposed on the battery container23.

The function key group3, which is disposed on the front body1and/or the rear body2, includes a first trigger key31, a second trigger key32, a direction key33and a plurality of function selection keys34. In the embodiment, the first trigger key31is disposed on the rear concave surface132of the receiving portion13of the front body1. The second trigger key32is disposed close to the third end surface21on the rear body2. The direction key33is disposed on the upper surface of the front body1, close to the second end surface12. The function selection keys34are arranged on the upper surface of the front body1.

The rotating mechanism4is connected with the second end surface12of the front body1and the third end surface21of the rear body2, that is, the front body1and the rear body2are pivotally connected with each other via the rotating mechanism4. The direction R of the rotation axis of the rotating mechanism4is orthogonal to the second end surface12of the front body1and the third end surface21of the rear body2. The rotating mechanism4is a hinge or a hollow shaft assembly with a rotation or positioning function. However, the present invention doesn't limit the form of the rotating mechanism4. Accordingly, in the present invention, the rear body2can rotate relative to the front body1and be positioned via the rotating mechanism4. Further, the rear body2can rotate 360 degrees in a clockwise direction and an anticlockwise direction, as shown inFIGS. 4-6, after the rear body2rotates 180 degrees, it can be positioned and combined with the front body1to form a handgun-shaped structure.

Please refer toFIG. 7, the orientation sensing input module5includes an orientation sensing module51, a control unit52, a sensing signal process unit53and a wireless transmission module54. The orientation sensing module51may be a micro-inertial sensing module, a magnetic sensing module, an optical sensing module or an ultrasonic sensing module, for sensing movements of users and producing signals. In the embodiment, the orientation sensing module51is a micro-inertial sensing module. The control unit52is used for collecting the signals sensed by the orientation sensing module51and producing corresponding control signals. The sensing signal process unit53is used for receiving and processing the control signals produced by the control unit52, and then producing signals that a game main machine or a computer can accept and transmitting the signals to the control unit52. The wireless transmission module54is used for transmitting the signals that the control unit52receives from the sensing signal process unit53to a game main machine or a computer. The orientation sensing input module5is disposed in the front body1or the rear body2.

When users use the present invention to cooperate with a game main machine or a computer to play interactive electronic games, they can hold the rear body2in one hand or two hands and press the first trigger key31, the second trigger key32, the direction key33or the plurality of function selection keys34, respectively or simultaneously, by fingers, to input control signals corresponding to the electronic games. Users can also use the orientation sensing input module5disposed in the front body1or the rear body2to sensing, compute, produce and transmit signals via hand movements, thereby controlling special indicators on display pictures for the electronic games for entertainment.

Basing on the embodiment described above, it can be understood that when the rear body2doesn't rotate relative to the front body1and the longitudinal axes E1, E2of the front body1and the rear body2are coincide with each other, the front body1and the rear body2are form a straight stick; when the rear body2rotates 180 degrees in the clockwise direction or the anticlockwise direction, relative to the front body1, the front body1and the rear body2form a handgun-shaped structure. Consequently, basing on the rotating mechanism4, the rear body2of the present invention can rotate relative to the front body1to form more than two kinds of structures for being held by users. The present invention can adapt for more kinds of interactive electronic games, not only meeting the requirements of human engineering, but also enhancing users' enjoyment of playing electronic games.

What are disclosed above are only the specification and the drawings of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and it is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various equivalent changes may be made depending on the specification and the drawings of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention.