Controller with adjustable features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11458386-B2
Application number	US-202117174216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2021
Priority date	Feb 14, 2020
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

Controllers that allow for adjusting various features of the controller are disclosed. The controller may include may include one or more speakers for outputting sound or audio content. A user may contact one or more of the speakers with a finger(s) to adjust a characteristic of the audio content and/or to adjust audio settings. For example, a user may touch a speaker with his/her finger to change (e.g., increase or decrease) the volume or to mute the sound. In some instances, the speakers may be located on the controller body of the handheld controller for convenient and quick access by the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller system comprising:
one or more processors;
a controller comprising:
a controller body having a front surface;
a first speaker disposed on the front surface and within a left half of the front surface;
a first sensor associated with the first speaker and configured to detect finger contact on the first speaker, wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of:
a first speaker coil of the first speaker; or
a first inductive sensor coupled to the first speaker coil;

a second speaker disposed on the front surface and within a right half of the front surface; and
a second sensor associated with the second speaker and configured to detect finger contact on the second speaker, wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of:
a second speaker coil of the second speaker; or
a second inductive sensor coupled to the second speaker coil; and

non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
receiving, from at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor, inductance data indicating a change in inductance based on a finger moving into proximity to at least one of the first speaker coil or the second speaker coil; and
adjusting a volume of audio content being output by the first speaker and the second speaker based at least in part on the inductance data.

2. The controller system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the inductance data is received from the second sensor; and
the adjusting of the volume comprises increasing the volume; or
the inductance data is received from the first sensor; and
the adjusting of the volume comprises decreasing the volume.

3. The controller system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the first inductive sensor is part of a first amplifier of the first speaker; or
the second inductive sensor is part of a second amplifier of the second speaker.

4. The controller system of claim 1 , wherein:
the acts further comprise determining, based at least in part on the inductance data, that an inductance value sensed by at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor satisfies a threshold; and
the adjusting of the volume is based on the inductance value satisfying the threshold.

5. A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, inductance data from a sensor associated with a speaker disposed on a controller body of a controller, the sensor comprising at least one of a speaker coil of the speaker or an inductive sensor coupled to the speaker coil, and the inductance data indicates a change in inductance based on a finger moving into proximity to the speaker coil; and
causing, by the processor, a characteristic of audio content being output by the speaker to be adjusted based at least in part on the inductance data.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the causing the characteristic of the audio content to be adjusted comprises at least one of:
increasing a volume of the audio content;
decreasing the volume;
muting the volume; or
unmuting the volume.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the speaker is a first speaker of a pair of speakers disposed on a front surface of the controller body, the first speaker disposed within a right half of the front surface; and
the causing the characteristic of the audio content to be adjusted comprises increasing a volume of the audio content.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the speaker is a first speaker of a pair of speakers disposed on a front surface of the controller body, the first speaker disposed within a left half of the front surface; and
the causing the characteristic of the audio content to be adjusted comprises decreasing a volume of the audio content.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the inductive sensor is part of an amplifier of the speaker.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining, based at least in part on the inductance data, that an inductance value sensed by the sensor satisfies a threshold,
wherein the causing the characteristic of the audio content to be adjusted is based on the inductance value satisfying the threshold.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the speaker comprises a first speaker;
the sensor comprises a first sensor;
the inductance data is first inductance data;
the finger is a first finger;
the method further comprises:
receiving, by the processor, second inductance data from a second sensor associated with a second speaker disposed on the controller body, the second sensor comprising at least one of a second speaker coil of the second speaker or a second inductive sensor coupled to the second speaker coil, and the second inductance data indicates a change in inductance based on a second finger moving into proximity to the second speaker coil; and
determining, by the processor, and based at least in part on the first inductance data and the second inductance data, that the first finger is contacting the first speaker at substantially the same time as the second finger is contacting the second speaker; and

the causing the characteristic of the audio content to be adjusted comprises at least one of muting a volume of the audio content or unmuting the volume.

12. A controller system comprising:
one or more processors;
a controller comprising:
a controller body;
a speaker disposed on the controller body; and
a sensor associated with the speaker and configured to detect finger contact on the speaker, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:
a speaker coil of the speaker; or
an inductive sensor coupled to the speaker coil; and

non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
receiving, from the sensor, inductance data indicating a change in inductance based on a finger moving into proximity to the speaker coil; and
causing a characteristic of audio content being output by the speaker to be adjusted based at least in part on the inductance data.

13. The controller system of claim 12 , wherein:
the speaker comprises a first speaker disposed on a front surface of the controller body and within a left half of the front surface;
the sensor comprises a first sensor;
the controller further comprises:
a second speaker disposed on the front surface and within a right half of the front surface; and
a second sensor associated with the second speaker and configured to detect finger contact on the second speaker; and

the causing the characteristic of the audio content to be adjusted comprises decreasing a volume of the audio content.

14. The controller system of claim 13 , wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of:
a second speaker coil of the second speaker; or
a second inductive sensor coupled to the second speaker coil.

15. The controller system of claim 12 , wherein:
the speaker comprises a first speaker disposed on a front surface of the controller body and within a right half of the front surface;
the sensor comprises a first sensor;
the controller further comprises:
a second speaker disposed on the front surface and within a left half of the front surface; and
a second sensor associated with the second speaker and configured to detect finger contact on the second speaker; and

the causing the characteristic of the audio content to be adjusted comprises increasing a volume of the audio content.

16. The controller system of claim 15 , wherein the second sensor comprises at least on

Assignees

• Valve Corp

Inventors

• Vanwyk Eric Judson
• Whipple Lucas Allen
• Ikeda John
• Collette Benoit

Classifications

• H04R2499/15

  Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops · CPC title

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title

• H04R2430/01

  Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems · CPC title

• H04R2400/01

  Transducers used as a loudspeaker to generate sound aswell as a microphone to detect sound · CPC title

• H04R5/04

  Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)} · CPC title