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US Patent 6343991 - Game control with analog pressure sensor
US Patent Issued on February 5, 2002
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
February 22, 2020Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
February 22, 2020Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractA game controller of the type held in two hands simultaneously for controlling electronic games, including a housing, a plurality of depressible surfaces at least in-part exposed on the housing with the depressible surfaces in operational association with electricity manipulating devices contained within the housing and controlled by depression of the depressible surfaces for manipulating electrical outputs at least in-part useful for controlling electronic games. At least one of the electricity manipulating devices is a pressure-sensitive variable-conductance sensor for creating an analog electrical output proportional to varying physical pressure applied to at least one depressible surface. The analog electrical output is interpreted and utilized in controlling the action intensity of electronic game character imagery. Also disclosed are methods of use and manufacture of game controllers having at least one pressure-sensitive analog sensor. | InventorApplicationNo. 510572 filed on 02/22/2000US Classes:463/37Hand manipulated (e.g., keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc.)Field of Search463/36, Player-actuated control structure (e.g., brain-wave or body signal, bar-code wand, foot pedal, etc.)463/37, Hand manipulated (e.g., keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc.)273/143B, Movable web345/156, DISPLAY PERIPHERAL INTERFACE INPUT DEVICE345/159Having variable cursor speedExaminersPrimary: Rada, Rinaldi I.Assistant: Paradiso, John US Patent References3806471, 4469330, Controller unit for video gameIssued on: 09/04/1984 Inventor: Asher4687200, Multi-directional switch Issued on: 08/18/1987 Inventor: Shirai5207426, Controller for a game machine Issued on: 05/04/1993 Inventor: Inoue, et al.5459487, Video game/flight simulator controller with single analog input to multiple discrete inputs Issued on: 10/17/1995 Inventor: Bouton5510812, Piezoresistive input device Issued on: 04/23/1996 Inventor: O'Mara, et al.5565891, Six degrees of freedom graphics controller Issued on: 10/15/1996 Inventor: Armstrong5589828, 6 Degrees of freedom controller with capability of tactile feedback Issued on: 12/31/1996 Inventor: Armstrong5602569, Controller for image processing apparatus Issued on: 02/11/1997 Inventor: Kato5644113, Hand held control key device including multiple switch arrangements Issued on: 07/01/1997 Inventor: Date, et al.5689285, Joystick with membrane sensor Issued on: 11/18/1997 Inventor: Asher5764219, Controller for improved computer pointing devices Issued on: 06/09/1998 Inventor: Rutledge, et al.5999084Variable-conductance sensor Issued on: 12/07/1999 Inventor: Armstrong Foreign Patent References
International ClassG09G 005/00 |
