U.S. patent application number 12/126199 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-27 for game controller.
This patent application is currently assigned to ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.. Invention is credited to Hua-Ming Wu, Tung-Ke Wu.
Application Number | 20080293491 12/126199 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40072925 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080293491 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu; Tung-Ke ; et
al. |
November 27, 2008 |
Game Controller
Abstract
A game controller connected to a game device is provided. The
game controller includes a holding portion and a device for sensing
physiological status. The holding portion is used for allowing the
user to hold the game controller. The device for sensing
physiological status is disposed at the holding portion. When the
user holds the game controller, the physiological reaction data of
the user is measured.
Inventors: |
Wu; Tung-Ke; (Taipei,
TW) ; Wu; Hua-Ming; (Taipei, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMAS, KAYDEN, HORSTEMEYER & RISLEY, LLP
600 GALLERIA PARKWAY, S.E., STE 1500
ATLANTA
GA
30339-5994
US
|
Assignee: |
ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
40072925 |
Appl. No.: |
12/126199 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/235 20140902;
A63F 13/24 20140902; A63F 13/21 20140901; A63F 2300/1012 20130101;
A63F 13/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/37 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 25, 2007 |
TW |
96118867 |
Claims
1. A game controller connected to a game device for a user
operating the game device, the game controller comprising: a
holding portion; and a device for sensing physiological status
disposed on the holding portion, the device for sensing
physiological status is capable of measuring physiological reaction
data of the user.
2. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the game
controller further comprises a casing and a plurality of keys
disposed at the surface of the casing, and a control signal is
generated when the user presses one or any combination of the
keys.
3. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the device for
sensing physiological status is an electrocardio sensing device
having at least two electrodes and embedded at the outside surface
of the holding portion.
4. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the
physiological reaction data measured by the device for sensing
physiological status is a body temperature data.
5. The game controller according to claim 4, wherein the material
of the electrodes is a conductive rubber, a stainless steel or a
silver/sliver chloride reference electrode.
6. The game controller according to claim 4, wherein the game
controller has two holding portions for allowing the user to hold
the game controller by the two hands, and the two electrodes are
disposed at the two holding portions, respectively.
7. The game controller according to claim 6, wherein the game
controller is a handheld joystick or a steering wheel.
8. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the device for
sensing physiological status is a far infrared sensing device.
9. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the game
controller has a holding portion for allowing the user to hold the
game controller by one hand, and the device for sensing
physiological status has a left hand sensor and a right hand sensor
disposed at the left and right lateral surfaces of the holding
portion.
10. The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the game
controller is a single hand operated joystick or a mouse specially
used for games.
11. The game controller according to claim 2, wherein the game
controller further has at least a processing chip and a signal
transmitting device, the chip is used for converting the control
signal and the physiological reaction signal captured by the device
for sensing physiological status to the digital data, and then the
digital data is transmitted to the game device by the signal
transmitting device.
12. The game controller according to claim 11, the transmitting
mode of the signal transmitting device is a wired transmission mode
and is one of a USB transmission mode, a PS/2 interface
transmission mode and an IEEE 1394 interface transmission mode.
13. The game controller according to claim 11, wherein the
transmitting mode of the signal transmitting device is a wireless
transmission mode and is one of a RF transmission mode, an
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) transmission mode and an infrared transmission
mode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a game controller and, more
particular, to a game controller with a device for sensing
physiological status.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The game market well develops nowadays. Software or hardware
manufacturers develops new game devices (such as the television
game, the computer game device, handheld game device and so on),
and new game software is cooperated with the new game devices to
meet the need of the consumer. For the early game form, a player
sits in front of a screen to play the game by a keyboard or a
joystick.
[0005] Nowadays, for instant exercise amount monitoring or instant
heartbeat monitoring, a device for sensing heartbeat is
additionally disposed and is cooperated with a common sport
equipment. As shown in FIG. 1A, taking the US application whose US
publication number is U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,069 as an example, the
application discloses a device 1 which is composed of a television
game and a sport equipment. The sport equipment 10 of the device 1
may be a sport bicycle. When a user bicycles, the television screen
may display an image showing a virtual person is climbing at rocks.
Thus, the exercise and the entertainment are combined. The device 1
may adjust the using parameters (such as the run rate) of the whole
sport equipment 10 by monitoring the exercise amount condition of
the user 11. The device 1 has a first sensor 12 for collecting the
signals (such as the pedal speed) of the output end of the sport
equipment 10 and a second sensor 13 for collecting the exercise
amount information (such as the heartbeat rate) of the user 11. The
signals collected by the first sensor 12 and the second sensor 13
are transmitted to a processor 15 by an interface 14, and they are
transmitted to the television controller 16 after they are
converted by the processor 15 to adjust the difficulty degree to
avoid overlarge exercise amount.
[0006] According to the conventional technology, the exercise
amount or heartbeat sensing device 13 (the second sensor) may be a
chip sensor attached to a lobe, a sensor fixed at the chest or the
heartbeat sensor with other forms. The sensing device is
independent of the whole game device. As shown in FIG. 1B showing
another conventional technology, the heartbeat sensor 2 is fixed at
the chest of the user to monitor the change of the heartbeat rate
of the user in exercising.
[0007] Therefore, the sport equipment cooperated with the heartbeat
sensing device may be applied to the hot game software and
hardware, although it has not been seen now. However, when a user
exercises strenuously, as shown in FIG. 1B, the heartbeat sensing
device attached, clipped or fixed at the user in other manner is
easy to be slipped off or be debyted from the original position.
Thus, the measured heartbeat loses the fidelity, and the condition
of the user cannot be shown instantly and actually. If the
detachable heartbeat sensing device is detached, it may interfere
with the process of the game. For the user, he should attach or
clip the measuring sensor at one portion of the body before the
game, it is inconvenient and uncomfortable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention provides a game controller connected to a game
device to allow a user controlling the game device to execute
different game software.
[0009] The game controller includes a holding portion and a device
for sensing physiological status. The holding portion is used for
allowing a user to hold the game controller. The device for sensing
physiological status is disposed at the holding portion. When a
user holds the game controller, the physiological reaction data of
the user is measured.
[0010] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description, appended claims, and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a conventional sport
equipment combined with a television game device;
[0012] FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the conventional
sport equipment combined with the television game device;
[0013] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a
handheld game controller of an embodiment of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing a game steering wheel
of an embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a single hand operated
game controller of an embodiment of the invention; and
[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an image of a game
program cooperated with one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0017] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the
game controller 3 of the first embodiment of the invention. The
game controller 3 is a handheld joystick and it is connected to a
game device to allow a user to operate the game device and play
games.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 2A, components of the joystick 3 include a
holding portion 31 and a device for sensing physiological status
32. The holding portion 31 is used for allowing a user to hold the
joystick 3. The device for sensing physiological status 32 is
disposed at the holding portion 31. When a user holds the joystick
3, the device for sensing physiological status 32 measures the
physiological reaction data of the user through the palm of the
user or the body portion contacting the holding portion 31.
[0019] The device for sensing physiological status 32 may be an
electrocardio monitoring device, and it is usually embedded at the
outside surface of the holding portion and has a first electrode
32a and the second electrode 32b, as shown in FIG. 2A. In a
preferred embodiment, the first electrode 32a is a positive
electrode or a negative electrode, and the second electrode 32b is
a negative electrode or a positive electrode corresponding to the
first electrode 32a. The material of the first electrode 32a and
the second electrode 32b of the device for sensing physiological
status 32 may be a conductive rubber, a stainless steel or a
silver/silver chloride reference electrode. Preferably, when the
electrocardio signals are measured, a reference electrode
contacting the leg may be added, or a conductive blanket contacting
the feet may be disposed at the ground.
[0020] The information which is measured is not limited to
electrocardio information, it also may be palm holding force
information or body temperature information.
[0021] The joystick 3 of the embodiment of the invention further
has a casing 33 and a plurality of keys disposed at the surface of
the casing. The keys are, for example, the directional key 34a,
action key 34b, acknowledgement key 34c, cancel key 34d and so on.
The keys form the operating area 34 of the joystick 3. The user may
press the keys 34a, 34b, 34c and 34d in the operating area to
generate the control signals.
[0022] In addition, at least a processing chip 35 and a signal
transmitting device 36 may be disposed in the casing 33 of the
joystick 3. The processing chip 35 is used for converting the
control signals and the physiological reaction signals captured by
the device for sensing physiological status 32 to the digital data
by the analogy/digital conversion. The signal transmitting device
36 transmits the data processed by the chip 35 to the game
device.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the transmitting mode of the
signal transmitting device 36 is the wired transmission by a
universal serial bus (USB), a PS/2 interface or an Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface, which is
not limited. The transmitting mode of the signal transmitting
device 36 also may be the wireless transmission by the Bluetooth,
the radio frequency (RF), the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) or the
infrared.
[0024] The operating mode among the two kinds of signals (the
control signal and the physiological reaction signal), the
processing chip 35 and the signal transmitting device 36 may be one
of modes described hereinbelow. First, both of the two kinds of
signals are processed by a single chip 35 and are transmitted to
the game device by a single signal transmitting device 36. Second,
two kinds of signals are processed by different chips 35 and are
transmitted to the game device by the single signal transmitting
device 36. Third, two kinds of signals are processed by different
chips 35 and are transmitted to the game device by different signal
transmitting devices 36. The operating mode is not limited by the
above modes.
[0025] The structure, relative disposing relationships and
functions of the components of the joystick 33 of the embodiment of
the invention are clear. The using mode and the related application
of the joystick 3 assembled by the components are described
hereinbelow.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 2A, the joystick 3 has two holding portions
31 for allowing the user to hold by the hands. The first electrode
32a and the second electrode 32b of the device for sensing
physiological status 32 are disposed at the outside surface of the
two holding portions 31, respectively. Therefore, when the user
holds the joystick 3 by the hands, the electrocardio status
information such as the electrocardio or the body temperature of
the user may be measured by the device for sensing physiological
status 32 by the palm or other body portion contacting the holding
portions 31.
[0027] According to an embodiment of FIG. 2B, the game controller
also may be a game steering wheel 4 cooperated with a racing car
game program, as shown in FIG. 1B. The steering wheel 4 also has
two holding portions 41 for allowing a user to hold by hands. The
first electrode 42a and the second electrode 42b of the device for
sensing physiological status are disposed at the outside surface of
the two holding portions 41. In addition, the steering wheel 4 also
has a casing 43, a plurality of keys 44 disposed at the casing 43
and a signal transmitting device (not shown), the functions and the
relative disposing manner thereof are the same with that of the
embodiment of FIG. 2A, and therefore, they are not described for
concise purpose.
[0028] The steering wheel 4 also has at least a processing chip 45
disposed in the casing of the central shaft of the steering wheel
4. The disposing mode is not limited, and the processing chip 45
also may be disposed in the holding portion 41.
[0029] According to the above description, when a user holds the
steering wheel 4 by the hands, the physiological status information
such as the electrocardio or body temperature of the user is
measured by the device for sensing physiological status 42 by the
palm or other body portion contacting the holding portion 41.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a
game controller 5 of the second embodiment of the invention. The
game controller 5 is a single hand operated joystick with a holding
portion 51 for allowing a user to hold by one hand. The left hand
sensor 52a and the right hand sensor 52b of the device for sensing
physiological status 52 are disposed at the left and right lateral
surfaces of the holding portion 51 for allowing a user to hold by
the left hand or the right hand. The single hand operated joystick
5 also has a casing 53, a plurality of keys 54 disposed on the
casing 53, at least a processing chip 55 and a signal transmitting
device 56. The functions and the relative disposing manner thereof
are the same with the embodiment of the FIG. 2A. In the second
embodiment, the device for sensing physiological status 52 may be a
far infrared sensing device to detect the tiny change of the far
infrared caused by the flowing blood in the blood capillary
affected by each heartbeat.
[0031] To sum up, both of the first embodiment and the second
embodiment of the invention utilizes the device for sensing
physiological status cooperated with the game controller and solves
the problem of the conventional technology. Furthermore, the game
controller of the embodiment of the invention is combined with a
game device, and the game device further may be combined with a
display device such as a television or a projector. When a user
operates the game controller to execute different game program, the
physiological information such as the electrocardio or the body
temperature of the user may be measured by the device for sensing
physiological status instantly. Afterward, after the processing
chip in the game controller converts the physiological information
to the digital data by the A/D program, the digital data is
transmitted to the game device by the signal transmitting device.
At last, the game device displays the collected physiological
information on the display device, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a display image 7 of a
display device cooperated with an embodiment of the invention.
Besides the game score 71 originally displayed in the display image
7, the collected electrocardio information 72 also may be displayed
at the display device by the game device. However, the data that
may be displayed is not limited to be the electrocardio information
72. A user may set some parameters (such as age, estimated exercise
amount, the upper limitation of the heartbeat value, the upper and
lower limitation of the blood pressure and so on) by the host, and
the measured physiological information is converted to be the
exercise amount condition 73 displayed on the display image 7.
Thus, the user may avoid the strenuous sports, or the exercise
amount condition 73 also may be used as the index of training,
exercise amount or the calorie consumption.
[0033] The game device may be set to cooperate with the
physiological condition of the user to adjust the difficulty degree
of the game and even to end the game when the health condition of
the user is not suitable for the present game (such as when the
electrocardio signals are abnormal) or when the user plays for a
overlong time. In a preferred embodiment, taking a combat game
program as example, when the device for sensing physiological
status measures that the heartbeat of a user is too fast, and the
value exceeds the upper limitation set for the user, the game
device may correspondingly decrease the fighting force of the
opponent after it receives the data transmitted from the game
controller.
[0034] The above display device is not limited to the device used
by the user playing the game, it also may be a display device
provided at other position. For example, if the display device is a
television in the room of parents, the parents may view the
physiological condition of the child playing the game.
[0035] Although the present invention has been described in
considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments
thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the
invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make
various modifications and changes without departing from the scope
and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended
claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred
embodiments described above.
* * * * *