Game controller with removable paddle accessory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10835812-B2
Application number	US-201816192548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A game controller includes a grip, one or more finger-actuatable controls on the grip, and a rim located on the grip. The rim defines an aperture. The game controller further includes a paddle-actuatable sensor accessible through the aperture and a pivot spaced apart from the aperture. The pivot is configured to removably affix a selected paddle accessory to the game controller and to translate a touch applied to the selected paddle accessory outside of the aperture to an actuation of the paddle-actuatable sensor inside the aperture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A game controller comprising:
a grip including a left hand portion configured to be gripped by a left hand, a right hand portion configured to be gripped by a right hand, and a central portion intermediate the left hand portion and the right hand portion;
a rim located on the grip, the rim defining an aperture;
a paddle-actuatable sensor accessible through the aperture; and
a mounting platform positioned on the central portion of the grip and laterally spaced apart from the aperture, the mounting platform being configured to rigidly, removably affix a selected paddle accessory to the game controller such that the selected paddle accessory extends laterally from the central portion towards the left hand portion or the right hand portion and flexes to translate a touch applied to the selected paddle accessory outside of the aperture to an actuation of the paddle-actuatable sensor inside the aperture.

2. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the grip includes a thumb-side and a finger-side opposite the thumb-side, and wherein one or more finger-actuatable controls is positioned on the thumb-side and the selected paddle accessory is removably affixable to the finger-side.

3. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the paddle-actuatable sensor is positioned closer to either the left hand portion or the right hand portion than the mounting platform.

4. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the mounting platform is positioned closer to either the left hand portion or the right hand portion than the paddle- actuatable sensor.

5. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the mounting platform includes a magnet, and the selected paddle accessory is made at least partially of ferromagnetic material configured to magnetically affix the selected paddle accessory to the magnet.

6. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the paddle-actuatable sensor includes a tactile switch, and wherein the selected paddle accessory translates a touch force applied to the selected paddle accessory outside of the aperture to an actuation force applied by the selected touch accessory to the tactile switch.

7. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the paddle-actuatable sensor includes a Hall Effect sensor, and wherein the selected paddle accessory moves into an actuation range of the Hall Effect sensor responsive to the touch applied to the paddle accessory outside of the aperture.

8. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the selected paddle accessory flexes along a first axis relative to the mounting platform responsive to the touch being applied to the selected paddle accessory, and wherein the rim further defines a mating slot configured to receive a stabilization fin of the paddle accessory, the mating slot being sized to prevent the stabilization fin from rotating about an axis different than the first axis during flexion of the selected paddle accessory.

9. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the paddle-actuatable sensor is one of a plurality of paddle-actuatable sensors, wherein the mounting platform is one of a plurality of mounting platforms, wherein each mounting platform is spaced apart from a corresponding paddle-actuatable sensor, and wherein the plurality of mounting platforms are identically configured such that the selected paddle accessory is removably affixable to each of the plurality of mounting platforms.

10. The game controller of claim 1 , wherein the rim is located on the central portion of the grip, intermediate the left hand portion and the right hand portion of the grip.

11. The game controller of claim 10 , wherein the mounting platform is located on the central portion of the grip, intermediate the left hand portion and the right hand portion of the grip.

12. A game controller comprising:
a grip including a left hand portion configured to be gripped by a left hand, a right hand portion configured to be gripped by a right hand, and a central portion intermediate the left hand portion and the right hand portion;
a rim located on the central portion of the grip intermediate the left and right hand portions of the grip, the rim defining an aperture;
a paddle-actuatable sensor accessible through the aperture; and
a mounting platform located on the central portion of the grip and laterally spaced apart from the aperture, the mounting platform being configured to rigidly, removably affix a selected paddle accessory to the game controller such that the selected paddle accessory extends laterally from the central portion towards the left hand portion or the right hand portion and flexes to translate a touch applied to the selected paddle accessory outside of the aperture to an actuation of the paddle-actuatable sensor inside the aperture.

13. The game controller of claim 12 , wherein the grip includes a thumb-side and a finger-side opposite the thumb-side, and wherein one or more finger-actuatable controls is positioned on the thumb-side and the selected paddle accessory is removably affixable to the finger-side.

14. The game controller of claim 12 , wherein the mounting platform includes a magnet, and the selected paddle accessory is made at least partially of ferromagnetic material configured to magnetically affix the selected paddle accessory to the magnet.

15. The game controller of claim 12 , wherein the paddle-actuatable sensor includes a tactile switch, and wherein the selected paddle accessory translates a touch force applied to the selected paddle accessory outside of the aperture to an actuation force applied by the selected touch accessory to the tactile switch.

16. The game controller of claim 12 , wherein the paddle-actuatable sensor includes a Hall Effect sensor, and wherein the selected paddle accessory moves into an actuation range of the Hall Effect sensor responsive to the touch applied to the paddle accessory outside of the aperture.

17. A game controller comprising:
a grip including a left hand portion configured to be gripped by a left hand, a right hand portion configured to be gripped by a right hand, and a central portion intermediate the left hand portion and the right hand portion;
a rim located on the grip, the rim defining an aperture;
a paddle-actuatable sensor accessible through the aperture; and
a mount positioned on the central portion of the grip and laterally spaced apart from the aperture, the mount being configured to removably affix a selected paddle accessory to the game controller such that the selected paddle accessory extends laterally from the central portion towards the left hand portion or the right hand portion and flexes to translate a touch applied to the selected paddle accessory outside of the aperture to an actuation of the paddle-actuatable sensor inside the aperture.

18. The game controller of claim 17 , where the mount includes a pivot.

19. The game controller of claim 17 , where the mount includes a mounting platform configured to rigidly, removably affix the selected paddle accessory to the game controller.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Gassoway Gabriel Michael Rask
• Schmitz Aaron
• Tsai Jason Victor
• Kujawski Christopher H

Classifications

• A63F13/00

  Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions · CPC title

• A63F13/24 Primary

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

• A63F13/98

  Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers · CPC title

• A63F13/245

  specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels · CPC title