U.S. patent application number 13/539215 was filed with the patent office on 2013-01-10 for mechanism for facilitating hybrid control panels within gaming systems.
Invention is credited to Peter J. Abrahamson, Bran Ferren, Lakshman Krishnamurthy, DIMITRI NEGROPONTE, I-Hsiang Shu.
Application Number | 20130012319 13/539215 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47438984 |
Filed Date | 2013-01-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130012319 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
NEGROPONTE; DIMITRI ; et
al. |
January 10, 2013 |
MECHANISM FOR FACILITATING HYBRID CONTROL PANELS WITHIN GAMING
SYSTEMS
Abstract
A mechanism is described for facilitating hybrid control panels
within gaming systems according to one embodiment of the invention.
A method of embodiments of the invention includes employing one or
more hybrid control panels at a computing device. The computing
device may include a gaming device. The method may further include
detecting user movements across a surface of each of the one or
more hybrid control panels. The detecting may be performed at least
in part using sensors of the hybrid control panels. The method may
further include interpreting the user movements, and facilitating
actions based on the interpreted user movements.
Inventors: |
NEGROPONTE; DIMITRI; (Los
Angeles, CA) ; Krishnamurthy; Lakshman; (Portland,
OR) ; Ferren; Bran; (Beverly Hills, CA) ; Shu;
I-Hsiang; (Pasadena, CA) ; Abrahamson; Peter J.;
(Burbank, CA) |
Family ID: |
47438984 |
Appl. No.: |
13/539215 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61505294 |
Jul 7, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2300/6045 20130101;
A63F 13/215 20140902; A63F 13/213 20140902; A63F 2300/1056
20130101; A63F 2300/1043 20130101; A63F 13/843 20140902; A63F
2300/301 20130101; A63F 13/92 20140902; A63F 13/42 20140902; A63F
2300/1068 20130101; A63F 2300/1087 20130101; A63F 13/2145 20140902;
A63F 2300/1006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/37 |
International
Class: |
A63F 11/00 20060101
A63F011/00; A63F 9/24 20060101 A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: employing one or more hybrid control panels
at a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a
gaming device; detecting user movements across a surface of each of
the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein detecting is
performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control
panels; interpreting the user movements; and facilitating actions
based on the interpreted user movements.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise a hybrid of
an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical sensor.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more hybrid control
panels are placed at the computing device such that one or more
user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid control panels
when holding the computing device.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more control panels
comprise a non-planar shape.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-planar shape comprises a
saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is designed to accommodate a
human thumb.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device further
comprises a touch screen to facilitate detection of additional user
movements using the touch screen.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch screen serves as a
display device of the computing device.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting comprises
distinguishing between a slight touch and a sustained press,
wherein distinguishing comprises separating an accidental touch
from an intentional touch.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein a hybrid control panel further
comprises one or more switches underlying one or more buttons
placed at or near the surface of the control panel and surrounding
the hybrid of capacitive and optical sensors of the control
panel.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein surface comprises a
touch-sensitive surface having a material selected to have a low
coefficient of friction ratio compared to human skin.
11. An apparatus comprising: a hybrid control panel mechanism
having first logic to employ one or more hybrid control panels at a
computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a gaming
device; second logic to detect user movements across a surface of
each of the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein detecting is
performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control
panels; third logic to interpret the user movements; and forth
logic to facilitate actions based on the interpreted user
movements.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sensors comprise a
hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical
sensor.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more hybrid
control panels are placed at the computing device such that one or
more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid control
panels when holding the computing device.
14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more control
panels comprise a non-planar shape.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the non-planar shape
comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is designed to
accommodate a human thumb.
16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computing device further
comprises a touch screen to facilitate detection of additional user
movements using the touch screen.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the touch screen serves as a
display device of the computing device.
18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second logic is further
to distinguish between a slight touch and a sustained press,
wherein distinguishing comprises separating an accidental touch
from an intentional touch.
19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a hybrid control panel
further comprises one or more switches underlying one or more
buttons placed at or near the surface of the control panel and
surrounding the hybrid of capacitive and optical sensors of the
control panel.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein surface comprises a
touch-sensitive surface having a material selected to have a low
coefficient of friction ratio compared to human skin.
21. A system comprising: a computing device having a memory to
store instructions, and a processing device to execute the
instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processing device
to employ one or more hybrid control panels at a computing device,
wherein the computing device comprises a gaming device; detect user
movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid
control panels, wherein detecting is performed at least in part
using sensors of the hybrid control panels; interpret the user
movements; and facilitate actions based on the interpreted user
movements.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensors comprise a hybrid
of an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical
sensor.
23. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more hybrid control
panels are placed at the computing device such that one or more
user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid control panels
when holding the computing device.
24. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more control panels
comprise a non-planar shape.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein the non-planar shape comprises
a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is designed to accommodate
a human thumb.
26. At least one machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of
instructions that in response to being executed on a computing
device, causes the computing device to carry out a method according
to one or more operations comprising: employing one or more hybrid
control panels at a computing device, wherein the computing device
comprises a gaming device; detecting user movements across a
surface of each of the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein
detecting is performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid
control panels; interpreting the user movements; and facilitating
actions based on the interpreted user movements.
27. The machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the sensors
comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least
one optical sensor.
28. The machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the one or
more hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device such
that one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more
hybrid control panels when holding the computing device.
29. The machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the one or
more control panels comprise a non-planar shape.
30. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the non-planar
shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is
designed to accommodate a human thumb.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 61/505,294, filed Jul. 7, 2011, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD
[0002] Embodiments of the invention relate to gaming systems. More
particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to a mechanism
for facilitating hybrid control panels at gaming systems.
BACKGROUND
[0003] With the growing use of hand-held devices, such as gaming
systems, cellular phones, personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile
internet devices (MIDs), etc., new convenient features and services
are expected to keep up with the growth. For example, recent
technological advancements have resulted in games becoming more
detailed and complex, requiring better and more sophisticated
control mechanisms, input sources, etc., for users to have a
realistic gaming experience. Conventional gaming control features,
like keypads, buttons, joysticks, etc., lack the necessary
handiness or dexterity and thus, conventional gaming systems are
typically difficult to hold and operate at the same time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of
example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the
accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to
similar elements.
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a gaming system employing hybrid control
panels and input sources according to one embodiment of the
invention.
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a gaming system
employing hybrid control panels.
[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of hybrid control panel
mechanism.
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a method for facilitating of hybrid
control panels within gaming systems according to one embodiment of
the invention.
[0009] FIG. 5 is block diagram of a computer system suitable for
implementing embodiments of the present disclosure according to one
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] In the following description, numerous specific details are
set forth. However, embodiments of the invention may be practiced
without these specific details. In other instances, well-known
circuits, structures and techniques have not been shown in details
in order not to obscure the understanding of this description.
[0011] Embodiments of the invention provide a mechanism for
facilitating hybrid control panels at gaming systems. In one
embodiment, a gaming system employs one or more control panels
having a non-planar surface (that is contoured to work well with
the shape of a user's thumb) having two or more types of sensors
(e.g., a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, etc.) which can
sense not only touch (e.g., human touch), but also movement of the
touch area across the entire surface area (e.g., the surface area
of a sensor employed within a control panel). The non-planar
surface or shape comprises a saddle shape designed to accommodate a
human thumb. Control panels may be referred to as "UniPoint
sensors" or simply "sensors" throughout this document. However, the
use of the term "Unipoint" should not be read to limit embodiments
of the invention to devices that carry that label in products or in
literature external to this document.
[0012] In one embodiment, the gaming system may employ a touch
screen to serve as an input device as well as a display screen. For
example, the user may use the touch screen to create inputs to the
gaming system by, for example, touching or swiping the screen
and/or may further use the touch screen to view visual displays of
games (e.g., icons for browsing and selection by the user) and/or
receive feedbacks with relevant information.
[0013] Using the novel technique of employing hybrid control
panels, in one embodiment, (1) the input mechanism remains flush
with the device surface (unlike, for example, joysticks), so it can
be laid flat; and (2) input mechanism is not physically coincident
with the display (unlike, for example, a regular touch screen), so
the users' fingers need not compete with game content for screen
real estate.
[0014] For brevity, clarity, and ease of understanding, this
document focuses on mobile computing devices, such as gaming
devices, but it is contemplated that embodiments of the present
invention are not limited to such devices and that they are
applicable to and workable with any number and type of existing and
future computing devices.
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a gaming system 100 employing hybrid
control panels 110A, 110B and input sources 140 according to one
embodiment of the invention. A front/top view of gaming system 100
(also referred to as "gaming device") is illustrated here. In one
embodiment, gaming device 100 employs one or more hybrid control
panels 110A, 110B. Each hybrid control panel 110A, 110B is button
action-based and has a non-planar surface that is contoured to work
with the contours of a user's thumb, having two or more types of
sensors, such as a capacitive sensor 120A, 120B and an optical
sensor 130A, 130B, that not only can sense human touch, but also
any movement within the touch area across the surface and/or the
user's proximity to the gaming device 100, such as the entire
surface of a hybrid control panel 110A, 110B. For example and in
one embodiment, capacitive sensors 120A, 120B may be located in a
separate touch area from optical sensors 130A, 130B, as illustrated
here, or the two types of sensors 120A, 120B, 130A, 130B may be set
differently, such as intermingled, place above-below each other, or
the like.
[0016] In one embodiment, each hybrid control panel 110A, 110B may
further include one or more buttons in communication with their
corresponding one or more electrical switches (not shown here)
placed, for example, somewhere below the surface where an
electrical switch can be activated by pressing on the button above
(the electrical switch) at the surface of a control panel 110A,
110B. For example, activating an electrical switch may require more
pressure on the hybrid control panel surface than what might be
normally needed for the control panel to simply sense a touch. In
some embodiments, the entire surface may move down when a hybrid
control panel 110A, 110B is pressed in this manner. In other
embodiments, a hybrid control panel 110A, 110B may be divided into
physically separate portions, where one portion may move down when
pressed while the other portion may remain stationary. In some
embodiments, the different portions of hybrid control panels 110A,
110B may be used to activate any number of separate electrical
switches when pressed. Further, as an alternative to a uniformly
movable surface, a flexible depression surface may be used to
activate electrical switches. Any number of other switches, such as
tactile switches, dome switches, etc., may also be employed at
various locations within hybrid control panels 110A, 110B to
provide a number of additional functionalities. In one embodiment,
a control panel 110A, 110B reflects the entirely of an input device
located on either side of the gaming device 100, a UniPoint sensor
is the core of the control panel 110A, 110B and optionally
surrounded or under played by one or more switches and one or more
sensors 120A, 120B, 130A, 130B that considered as sub-components of
the UniPoint sensor.
[0017] In the illustrated embodiment, two hybrid control panels
110A, 110B are shown with each positioned for easy accessibility by
each user thumb, but it is contemplated that embodiments of the
invention are in no way limited to any particular number, type,
shape, or placement of hybrid control panels 110A, 110B, sensors
120A, 120B, 130A, 130B, switches, touch/display screen 140, screen
options 150A-150H, and the like.
[0018] In one embodiment, gaming system 100 employs a touch/display
screen 140 that is capable of sensing a touch when a user touches
the screen, where these touches can be regarded as sources of
inputs in addition to those received from using control panels
110A, 110B. For example, screen 140 may be used as an input device,
in which case the user may provide inputs for the gaming system
100, such as user settings (e.g., color, sound, etc.), user profile
(user age, name, team name, etc.), account or credit card
information for purchasing a game, selecting a game from a menu of
available games, or the like. Such inputs may be provided by simply
touching the screen 140, swiping the screen, flicking the screen,
and the like. Screen 140 may also provide visual feedback to the
user for relevant information, such as confirmation of certain
settings, credit card purchase, etc. As will be described later,
gestures provided through control panels 110A, 110B include
multi-touch gestures (such as zoom, rotate, pan, etc.) using the
two UniPoint sensors 120A-120B, 130A-130B.
[0019] In some embodiments, screen 140 serves as a game display
screen for playing games, a web browser for surfing the Internet, a
video screen for watching videos (e.g., family videos, YouTube
videos, movies, etc.), a still screen for watching photos, a
reading screen for reading books, articles, newspapers, magazines,
etc. In another embodiment, gaming device 100 may be used to play a
game or display video or photos on a separate display device (e.g.,
a television, a computer display, a projector, etc.) with which the
gaming system 100 is put into wired or wireless communication. In
yet another embodiments, a game may be played (or a video or
pictures may be watched) interchangeably or by switching between
screen 140 and one or more other display devices including
televisions, computers, and even other game devices including those
similar to gaming system 100. Further, in one embodiment, other
input/output devices (e.g., keyboards, keypads, touchpads,
joysticks, mice, display devices, gaming systems, computing devices
(e.g., mobile devices, such as smartphones, PDAs, etc.), printers,
etc.) may be put into wired or wireless communication with gaming
device 100 for certain uses and purposes. As aforementioned,
embodiments of the invention are not limited to any shapes,
layouts, placements, sizes, components, colors, etc., including the
ones illustrated here.
[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, hybrid control panels 110A,
110B are placed such that the user's thumbs would fall naturally on
the sensors 120A, 120B, 130A, 130B, electrical switches, and any
other circuitry necessitating the touch or pressure. As
aforementioned, in one embodiment, any switches (e.g., electrical
switches) are placed in such a manner that they underlie their
corresponding buttons at the surface of control panels 110A, 110B
such that when the user's thumb comes in contact with one or more
buttons at the surface of a control panel 110A, 110B, the one or
more switches that underlie the one or more buttons are triggered.
It is contemplated that although thumbs would be the user's natural
choice, embodiments of the invention are not limited to using human
thumbs and that, for example, other fingers, toes, etc may be also
be used, as necessitated or desired by the user. Hybrid control
panels 110A, 110B may provide several forms of user control through
gesture detection of gestures, such as "panning", "zooming",
"rotating", etc., to perform various corresponding functions. In
one embodiment, each hybrid control panel 110A, 110B includes a
hybrid sensor combining capacitive sensors 120A and 120B with
optical sensors 130A and 130B, respectively, and fuses them to the
same coordinate and mapping systems. This may be handled at
different points in the filter chain depending on the specific
embodiments, such as, in one embodiment, the optical data may have
a separate pre-filter from the capacitive filter and is hybridized
with the capacitive data during a primary filter.
[0021] It is contemplated that embodiments of the invention are not
limited to the aforementioned gestures and/or their purposes as any
number and type of existing and future gestures may be employed and
recognized along with their purposes by simply remapping or
changing certain logic blocks of gaming system 100, including its
hardware components, software modules, etc.
[0022] Further, for example, Boolean input may be used to provide
additional functionalities and gesture recognition, such as
distinguishing between "clicks" and "sustained presses". For
instance, a single tap may awaken gaming system 100 from
hibernation, while anther single click may be used to select 160 an
object or item 150C from the screen menu 150A-150H and a double
click can restore the menu or deselect the selected item, such as
item 150C. Similarly, other gestures, such as "dragging", etc., may
be used to perform various functions. It is to be noted that the
menu items 150A-150H are illustrated merely an example and for
simplicity and brevity and that in no way embodiments of the
invention are limited to the illustrated items 150A-150H or their
arrangement or format, or the like. Various forms of user
gestures/inputs may be recognized by the touch/display screen 140,
such as "pointing" through sliding motions of the user thumbs (or
fingers) on the surface of hybrid control panels 110A, 110B for
movement on screen 140, text editing, etc., "selecting" through
physically depressing or tapping of one or more of the sensors
120A, 120B, 130A, 130B or one of the surrounding or adjacent
buttons for changing the location of the pointer, caret, or cursor,
etc., and "flicking" or "flipping" vertically or horizontally for
controlling emailing, reading, editing documents, surfing the
Internet, "flipping" through a set up photos, etc.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a gaming system 100
employing hybrid unipoint control panels 110A, 110B. For brevity,
some of the components of gaming system 100 are illustrated and
mentioned here, but they are further discussed with reference to
computing system 500 of FIG. 5. It is contemplated that gaming
system 100, illustrated here, may include a computing system and
therefore include all or at least some of the components of
computing system 500 of FIG. 5. Gaming system 100 includes a number
of interfaces 202 that further include user interfaces 204,
audio/video/camera (AVC) interfaces 206, and other interfaces 208.
Other interfaces 208 may include one or more wireless interfaces,
one or more wired interfaces, one or more infrared interfaces, etc.
Gaming system 100 further includes an operating system 214 serving
as an interface between any hardware or physical resources of the
gaming system 100 and a user. Gaming system 100 further includes
one or more processors 212, memory devices 216, network devices,
drivers, or the like, as well as input/output (I/O) sources 232,
such as a touch/display screen 140 (including a touch pad, a touch
panel, and a display screen), a speaker 240, microphone 242, camera
244, virtual or regular keyboards, virtual or regular mice, etc. In
one embodiment, touch/display screen 140 be changed to or serve as
a display screen as discussed with reference to FIG. 1.
[0024] In one embodiment, gaming system 100 employs one or more
hybrid unipoint control panels 110A, 110B. In one embodiment,
hybrid control panels are facilitated through hybrid UniPoint
control panel mechanism ("control panel mechanism") 270, that is
further described with reference to FIG. 3, and an assembly of
hybrid sensors 254. The assembly of hybrid sensors 254 may include
an array of capacitive sensors 256, at least one optical sensor 258
for each hybrid control panel, switches 260 (such as electrical
switches, mechanical switches, tactile switches, dome switches,
etc.) underlying their corresponding buttons, other circuitry 262
(e.g., detectors, connectors, receivers, transmitters, etc.), and
the like.
[0025] As aforementioned, in one embodiment, any switches (e.g.,
electrical switches) are placed in such a manner that they underlie
their corresponding buttons at the surface of control panels 110A,
110B such that when the user's thumb comes in contact with one or
more buttons at the surface of a control panel 110A, 110B, the one
or more switches that underlie the one or more buttons are
triggered.
[0026] As aforementioned, gaming system 100 may include all or at
least some of the components of computing system 500 of FIG. 5 and
therefore, any number of hybrid control panels 110A, 110B, and
relevant mechanisms, such as control panel mechanism 270, may be
employed within mobile computing devices, such as cellular phones
including smartphones (e.g., iPhone.RTM., BlackBerry.RTM., etc.),
other phones (e.g., landlines), handheld computing devices,
personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., tablet computers (e.g.,
iPad.RTM., Samsung.RTM. Galaxy Tab.RTM., etc.), laptop computers
(e.g., notebook, netbook, Ultrabook.TM., etc.), e-readers (e.g.,
Kindle.RTM., Nook.RTM., etc.), etc. Computing device 100 may
further include set-top boxes (e.g., Internet-based cable
television set-top boxes, etc.), and larger computing devices, such
as desktop computers, server computers, etc.
[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of hybrid unipoint control
panel mechanism 270. In one embodiment, control panel mechanism 270
includes various components 302-310 to facilitate employment and
use of one or more hybrid unipoint control panels at a gaming
system. Control panel mechanism 270 includes adaptive logic 302
that adopts the hybrid nature of at least two different types of
sensors, such as capacitive sensors and optical sensors. In one
embodiment, an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical
sensor may be provided as intermingled or hybrid or joint in a
single hybrid control panel. Adaptive logic 302 accepts, adopts and
even facilitates the hybrid nature of these sensors.
[0028] Control panel mechanism 270 further includes gesture
recognition logic 304 to recognize various user gestures (such as
user touch or pressure through user thumbs, fingers, etc.) that are
inputted and obtained through hybrid capacitive and optical sensors
and any switches (e.g., electrical switches) of one or more hybrid
control panels employed at the gaming system. Gesture
interpretation logic 306 of control panel mechanism 270 is used to
interpret the gestures recognized by gesture recognition logic 304,
such as whether to move a cursor, throw a ball or swing a bat
during a game, send an email, edit a document, etc., as well as
distinguishing between accidental gestures as opposed to
intentional gestures on the part of the user.
[0029] Control panel mechanism 270 further includes a communication
logic 308 to facilitate communication between various components
302-310 and between the control panel mechanism 270 and other
components, modules, elements, circuitry, etc., of the gaming
system. Further, compatibility logic 310 facilitates the control
panel mechanism 270 to be compatible with other components of the
gaming system as well as with other electronic devices, such as a
television set, other gaming controllers or consoles, computing
devices, and with changing technologies, etc.
[0030] It is contemplated that any number and type of components
may be added to and/or removed from control panel mechanism 270 to
facilitate various embodiments of the invention including adding,
removing, and/or enhancing certain features. For brevity, clarity,
and ease of understanding of the control panel mechanism 270, many
of the standard and/or known components, such as those of a
computing device, are not shown or discussed here. It is
contemplated that embodiments of the invention are not limited to
any particular technology, topology, system, architecture, and/or
standard and are dynamic enough to adopt and adapt to any future
changes.
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates a method for facilitating employing and
use of hybrid unipoint control panels at gaming systems according
to one embodiment of the invention. Methods 400 may be performed by
processing logic that may comprise hardware (e.g., circuitry,
dedicated logic, programmable logic, etc.), software (such as
instructions run on a processing device), or a combination thereof.
In one embodiment, method 400 may be performed by control panel
mechanism 270 of FIG. 2.
[0032] Method 400 begins at block 405 with employing one or more
hybrid unipoint control panels at a gaming system including a
gaming control, a gaming console, etc. At block 410, user
movements, including touches and pressures, etc., applied at the
surface of each hybrid control panel are detected. For example,
various user movements may be detected using capacitive sensors
and/or optical sensors with the hybrid UniPoint sensor of the
hybrid control panel, while user pressures and touches may be
detected via buttons and their corresponding underlying switches
surrounding or underlying the UniPoint sensor. At block 415, the
detected movements are interpreted according to interpretation
logic. At block 420, one or more acts (e.g., acts within a game,
acts relating to the gaming device, acts to change user profile or
device settings, etc.) are facilitated based on the interpreted
movements. At block 425, recognizing other input/output sources
(e.g., a touchscreen) to be used in combination with the hybrid
control panels. In one embodiment, the touchscreen may be used as a
display device for the gaming system to display games, videos,
books, pictures, menus, other interfaces to select from a list of
icons of games as well as to initiate game play, and other data,
such as user profile, settings, etc.
[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a computing system 500.
Computing system 500 represents a range of computing and electronic
devices (wired or wireless) including, for example, desktop
computing systems, laptop computing systems, cellular telephones,
personal digital assistants (PDAs) including cellular-enabled PDAs,
set top boxes, smartphones, tablets, etc. Alternate computing
systems may include more, fewer and/or different components. It is
to be noted that throughout this document, terms like "gaming
system", "gaming device", "computing device", "node", "computing
node", "client", "host", "server", "machine", "device", "computing
device", "computer", and "computing system" are used
interchangeably and synonymously. Similarly, terms like "logic",
"components", and "modules" may be used interchangeably and
synonymously.
[0034] Computing system 500 includes bus 505 (or a link, an
interconnect, or another type of communication device or interface
to communicate information) and processor 510 coupled to bus 505
that may process information. While computing system 500 is
illustrated with a single processor, electronic system 500 and may
include multiple processors and/or co-processors, such as one or
more of central processors, graphics processors, and physics
processors, etc. Computing system 500 may further include random
access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device 520 (referred
to as main memory), coupled to bus 505 and may store information
and instructions that may be executed by processor 510. Main memory
520 may also be used to store temporary variables or other
intermediate information during execution of instructions by
processor 510.
[0035] Computing system 500 may also include read only memory (ROM)
and/or other storage device 530 coupled to bus 505 that may store
static information and instructions for processor 510. Date storage
device 540 may be coupled to bus 505 to store information and
instructions. Date storage device 540, such as magnetic disk or
optical disc and corresponding drive may be coupled to computing
system 500.
[0036] Computing system 500 may also be coupled via bus 505 to
display device 550, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid
crystal display (LCD) or Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) array,
to display information to a user. User input device 560, including
alphanumeric and other keys, may be coupled to bus 505 to
communicate information and command selections to processor 510.
Another type of user input device 560 is cursor control 570, such
as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys to communicate
direction information and command selections to processor 510 and
to control cursor movement on display 550.
[0037] Camera and microphone arrays 590 of computer system 500 may
be coupled to bus 505 to observe gestures, record audio and video
and to receive and transmit visual and audio commands.
[0038] Computing system 500 may further include network
interface(s) 580 to provide access to a network, such as a local
area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), metropolitan area
network (MAN), personal area network (PAN), Bluetooth, an intranet,
the Internet, etc. Network interface(s) 580 may include, for
example, a wireless network interface having antenna 585, which may
represent one or more antenna(e). Network interface(s) 580 may also
include, for example, a wired network interface to communicate with
remote devices via network cable 587, which may be, for example, an
Ethernet cable, a coaxial cable, a fiber optic cable, a serial
cable, or a parallel cable.
[0039] Network interface(s) 580 may provide access to a LAN, for
example, by conforming to IEEE 802.11b and/or IEEE 802.11g
standards, and/or the wireless network interface may provide access
to a personal area network, for example, by conforming to Bluetooth
standards. Other wireless network interfaces and/or protocols,
including previous and subsequent versions of the standards, may
also be supported.
[0040] In addition to, or instead of, communication via the
wireless LAN standards, network interface(s) 580 may provide
wireless communication using, for example, Time Division, Multiple
Access (TDMA) protocols, Global Systems for Mobile Communications
(GSM) protocols, Code Division, Multiple Access (CDMA) protocols,
and/or any other type of wireless communications protocols.
[0041] Network interface(s) 580 may including one or more
communication interfaces, such as a modem, a network interface
card, or other well-known interface devices, such as those used for
coupling to the Ethernet, token ring, or other types of physical
wired or wireless attachments for purposes of providing a
communication link to support a LAN or a WAN, for example. In this
manner, the computer system may also be coupled to a number of
peripheral devices, clients, control surfaces, consoles, or servers
via a conventional network infrastructure, including an Intranet or
the Internet, for example.
[0042] It is to be appreciated that a lesser or more equipped
system than the example described above may be preferred for
certain implementations. Therefore, the configuration of computing
system 500 may vary from implementation to implementation depending
upon numerous factors, such as price constraints, performance
requirements, technological improvements, or other circumstances.
Examples of the electronic device or computer system 500 may
include without limitation a mobile device, a personal digital
assistant, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, a cellular
telephone, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messaging
device, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a
laptop computer, a notebook computer, a handheld computer, a tablet
computer, a server, a server array or server farm, a web server, a
network server, an Internet server, a work station, a
mini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a network
appliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system,
multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer
electronics, programmable consumer electronics, television, digital
television, set top box, wireless access point, base station,
subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio network
controller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, or
combinations thereof.
[0043] Embodiments may be implemented as any or a combination of:
one or more microchips or integrated circuits interconnected using
a parentboard, hardwired logic, software stored by a memory device
and executed by a microprocessor, firmware, an application specific
integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or a field programmable gate array
(FPGA). The term "logic" may include, by way of example, software
or hardware and/or combinations of software and hardware.
[0044] Embodiments may be provided, for example, as a computer
program product which may include one or more machine-readable
media having stored thereon machine-executable instructions that,
when executed by one or more machines such as a computer, network
of computers, or other electronic devices, may result in the one or
more machines carrying out operations in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention. A machine-readable medium may
include, but is not limited to, floppy diskettes, optical disks,
CD-ROMs (Compact Disc-Read Only Memories), and magneto-optical
disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs (Erasable Programmable Read Only
Memories), EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only
Memories), magnetic or optical cards, flash memory, or other type
of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing
machine-executable instructions.
[0045] Moreover, embodiments may be downloaded as a computer
program product, wherein the program may be transferred from a
remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a
client) by way of one or more data signals embodied in and/or
modulated by a carrier wave or other propagation medium via a
communication link (e.g., a modem and/or network connection).
Accordingly, as used herein, a machine-readable medium may, but is
not required to, comprise such a carrier wave.
[0046] References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "example
embodiment", "various embodiments", etc., indicate that the
embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include particular
features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment
necessarily includes the particular features, structures, or
characteristics. Further, some embodiments may have some, all, or
none of the features described for other embodiments.
[0047] In the following description and claims, the term "coupled"
along with its derivatives, may be used. "Coupled" is used to
indicate that two or more elements co-operate or interact with each
other, but they may or may not have intervening physical or
electrical components between them.
[0048] As used in the claims, unless otherwise specified the use of
the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to
describe a common element, merely indicate that different instances
of like elements are being referred to, and are not intended to
imply that the elements so described must be in a given sequence,
either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other
manner.
[0049] The following clauses and/or examples pertain to further
embodiments. Specifics in the examples may be used anywhere in one
or more embodiments. The various features of the different
embodiments may be variously combined with some features included
and others excluded to suit a variety of different applications.
Some embodiments pertain to a method comprising employing one or
more hybrid control panels at a computing device, wherein the
computing device comprises a gaming device; detecting user
movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid
control panels, wherein detecting is performed at least in part
using sensors of the hybrid control panels; interpreting the user
movements; and facilitating actions based on the interpreted user
movements.
[0050] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein the
sensors comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at
least one optical sensor.
[0051] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein the one
or more hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device
such that one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more
hybrid control panels when holding the computing device.
[0052] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein the one
or more control panels comprise a non-planar shape.
[0053] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein the
non-planar shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape
is designed to accommodate a human thumb.
[0054] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein the
computing device further comprises a touch screen to facilitate
detection of additional user movements using the touch screen.
[0055] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein the
touch screen serves as a display device of the computing
device.
[0056] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein
detecting comprises distinguishing between a slight touch and a
sustained press, wherein distinguishing comprises separating an
accidental touch from an intentional touch.
[0057] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein a
hybrid control panel further comprises one or more switches
underlying one or more buttons placed at or near the surface of the
control panel and surrounding the hybrid of capacitive and optical
sensors of the control panel.
[0058] Embodiments include any of the above methods wherein surface
comprises a touch-sensitive surface having a material selected to
have a low coefficient of friction ratio compared to human
skin.
[0059] In another embodiment, an apparatus comprises: a hybrid
control panel mechanism having first logic to employ one or more
hybrid control panels at a computing device, wherein the computing
device comprises a gaming device; second logic to detect user
movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid
control panels, wherein detecting is performed at least in part
using sensors of the hybrid control panels; third logic to
interpret the user movements; and forth logic to facilitate actions
based on the interpreted user movements.
[0060] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein the sensors
comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least
one optical sensor.
[0061] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein the one or
more hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device such
that one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more
hybrid control panels when holding the computing device.
[0062] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein the one or
more control panels comprise a non-planar shape.
[0063] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein the
non-planar shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape
is designed to accommodate a human thumb.
[0064] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein the
computing device further comprises a touch screen to facilitate
detection of additional user movements using the touch screen.
[0065] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein the touch
screen serves as a display device of the computing device.
[0066] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein the second
logic is further to distinguish between a slight touch and a
sustained press, wherein distinguishing comprises separating an
accidental touch from an intentional touch.
[0067] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein a hybrid
control panel further comprises one or more switches underlying one
or more buttons placed at or near the surface of the control panel
and surrounding the hybrid of capacitive and optical sensors of the
control panel.
[0068] Embodiments include the apparatus above wherein surface
comprises a touch-sensitive surface having a material selected to
have a low coefficient of friction ratio compared to human
skin.
[0069] In another embodiment, a system comprises: a computing
device having a memory to store instructions, and a processing
device to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause
the processing device to employ one or more hybrid control panels
at a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a
gaming device; detect user movements across a surface of each of
the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein detecting is
performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control
panels; interpret the user movements; and facilitate actions based
on the interpreted user movements.
[0070] Embodiments include the system above wherein the sensors
comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least
one optical sensor.
[0071] Embodiments include the system above wherein the one or more
hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device such that
one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid
control panels when holding the computing device.
[0072] Embodiments include the system above wherein the one or more
control panels comprise a non-planar shape.
[0073] Embodiments include the system above wherein the non-planar
shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is
designed to accommodate a human thumb.
[0074] Embodiments include the system above wherein the computing
device further comprises a touch screen to facilitate detection of
additional user movements using the touch screen.
[0075] Embodiments include the system above wherein the touch
screen serves as a display device of the computing device.
[0076] Embodiments include the system above wherein the processing
device is further to distinguish between a slight touch and a
sustained press, wherein distinguishing comprises separating an
accidental touch from an intentional touch.
[0077] Embodiments include the system above wherein a hybrid
control panel further comprises one or more switches underlying one
or more buttons placed at or near the surface of the control panel
and surrounding the hybrid of capacitive and optical sensors of the
control panel.
[0078] Embodiments include the system above wherein surface
comprises a touch-sensitive surface having a material selected to
have a low coefficient of friction ratio compared to human
skin.
[0079] In another embodiment, an apparatus comprises means for
performing any one or more of the operations mentioned above.
[0080] In yet another embodiment, at least one machine-readable
medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to
being executed on a computing device, causes the computing device
to carry out a method according to any one or more of the
operations mentioned above.
[0081] A computing device arranged to perform a method according to
any one or more of the operations mentioned above.
[0082] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of
embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or
more of the described elements may well be combined into a single
functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split
into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may
be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes
described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner
described herein. Moreover, the actions any flow diagram need not
be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts
necessarily need to be performed. Also, those acts that are not
dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other
acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these
specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in
the specification or not, such as differences in structure,
dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of
embodiments is at least as broad as given by the following
claims.
* * * * *