Smart trigger-stops for videogame controllers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10159896-B2
Application number	US-201816049652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2018
Priority date	Mar 2, 2017
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

Videogame controllers with smart trigger stops may include: a housing including A trigger, the trigger movable along a path of travel; a sensor configured to detect the position of the trigger and to generate a signal representing trigger position; a processor configured to interpret signals generated by the sensor and cause an output signal to be transmitted to a gaming console; a trigger-stop that is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the trigger-stop in the disengaged position allowing the trigger to move along the entire path of travel, the trigger-stop in the engaged position blocking the trigger from moving along the entire path of travel; and a switch coupled with the housing and the trigger-stop, wherein movement of the trigger-stop from the disengaged position to the engaged position flips the switch and causes the processor to map received signals to generated signals in a different manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A video game controller, comprising:
a housing;
a trigger assembly pivotable about an axis relative to the housing via a spring-loaded hinge, the trigger assembly pivotable in a first direction along a travel path from a default position to a fully depressed position, the travel path being transverse to the axis, the trigger assembly comprising an extension that protrudes from a trigger body, the extension configured to move along the travel path when a surface of the trigger assembly is pressed by a user;
a processor configured to generate or communicate output signals to a gaming console;
an electrical switch configured to communicate with the processor, the electrical switch having an actuation member movable between a first position and a second position to flip the electrical switch between a first mode and a second mode; and
a trigger stop assembly movable in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction relative to the trigger assembly, the trigger stop assembly being movable between a disengaged position that allows the trigger assembly to be depressed by the user along the travel path to the fully depressed position and an engaged position that limits the trigger assembly to move along a reduced travel distance between the default position and an intermediate depressed position between the rest position and the fully depressed position, the trigger stop assembly comprising
a slide member that extends into an opening on a bottom surface of the housing, the slide member being movable by the user along the second direction between a first position that places the trigger stop assembly in the disengaged position and a second position that places the trigger stop assembly in the engaged position,
a trigger stop body attached to the slide member and configured to move with the slide member, the trigger stop body having an end portion configured to move out of the travel path when the slide member is moved to the first position to allow movement of the trigger assembly to the fully depressed position, and configured to move into the travel path of the trigger assembly when the slide member is moved to the second position, the end portion in said second position configured to block the travel path of the trigger assembly and configured to engage the extension when the trigger assembly is depressed to limit the trigger assembly to move along the reduced travel distance, and
a surface configured to contact the actuation member of the electrical switch when the slide member is moved to one of the first position and the second position, so that movement of the surface relative to the actuation member flips the electrical switch between the first mode and the second mode, wherein one of the first mode and second mode corresponds to the trigger stop assembly being in the engaged position and wherein the other of the first mode and the second mode corresponds to the trigger stop assembly being in the disengaged position,

wherein the processor is configured to map movement of the trigger assembly to said output signals in accordance with a first mapping profile when the switch is in the first mode and configured to map movement of the trigger assembly to said output signals in accordance with a second mapping profile different than the first mapping profile when the switch is in the second mode.

2. The video game controller of claim 1 , wherein the slide member is configured to slide within the opening between the first position and the second position.

3. The video game controller of claim 1 , wherein the opening is defined on the bottom surface of the housing proximate a front end of the video game controller.

4. The video game controller of claim 1 , wherein the trigger stop body and the surface that contacts the actuation member of the electrical switch define a single piece.

5. The video game controller of claim 1 , wherein the surface is configured to push the actuation member of the electrical switch when the slide member is moved to one of the first position and the second position.

6. The video game controller of claim 1 , wherein the trigger stop assembly is movable linearly in the second direction generally transverse to the first direction relative to the trigger assembly.

7. The video game controller of claim 1 , wherein movement of the slide member between the first position and the second position simultaneously moves the end portion between a position out of the travel path and a position into the travel path.

8. The video game controller of claim 7 , wherein movement of the slide member between the first position and the second simultaneously actuates the electrical switch between the first mode and second mode.

9. The video game controller of claim 8 , wherein the trigger stop assembly is movable linearly in the second direction generally transverse to the first direction relative to the trigger assembly.

10. A video game controller, comprising:
a housing;
a trigger assembly pivotable about an axis relative to the housing via a spring-loaded hinge, the trigger assembly pivotable in a first direction along a travel path from a default position to a fully depressed position, the travel path being transverse to the axis, the trigger assembly comprising an extension that protrudes from a trigger body, the extension configured to move along the travel path when a surface of the trigger assembly is pressed by a user;
a processor configured to generate or communicate output signals to a gaming console;
an electrical switch configured to communicate with the processor, the electrical switch having an actuation member movable between a first position and a second position to flip the electrical switch between a first mode and a second mode; and
a trigger stop assembly movable in a second direction different than the first direction relative to the trigger assembly, the trigger stop assembly being movable between a disengaged position that allows the trigger assembly to be depressed by the user along the travel path to the fully depressed position and an engaged position that limits the trigger assembly to move along a reduced travel distance between the default position and an intermediate depressed position between the rest position and the fully depressed position, the trigger stop assembly comprising
an actuator member that extends into an opening on a bottom surface of the housing, the actuator member being movable by the user along the opening between a first position that places the trigger stop assembly in the disengaged position and a second position that places the trigger stop assembly in the engaged position,
a trigger stop body attached to the actuator member and configured to move with the actuator member, the trigger stop body having an end portion configured to move out of the travel path when the actuator member is moved to the first position to allow movement of the trigger assembly to the fully depressed position, and configured to move into the travel path of the trigger assembly when the actuator member is moved to the second position, the end portion in said second position configured to block the travel path of the trigger assembly and configured to engage the extension when the trigger assembly is depressed to limit the trigger assembly to move along the reduced travel distance, and
a surface configured to contact the actuation member of the electrical switch when the actuator member is moved to one of the first position and the second position, so that movement of the surface relative to the actuation member flips the electrical switch between the first mode and the second mode, wherein one of the first mode and second mode corresponds to the trigger s

Assignees

• Performance Designed Products Llc

Inventors

• Strahle Brad
• Wiggemans Yannik

Classifications

• A63F2300/1043

  being characterized by constructional details · CPC title

• A63F13/25

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• A63F13/24 Primary

  Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles · CPC title