Controller capable of changing volume based on linear motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021402289-A1
Application number	US-202017104228-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2020
Priority date	Jun 30, 2020
Publication date	Dec 30, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a controller capable of changing volume. The controller according to the present invention includes a housing; a volume changing unit installed outside the housing and having one end and the other end movable with respect to the housing, respectively; a driving unit for moving at least one of one end and the other end of the volume changing unit; and a control unit for controlling the driving unit. According to the present invention, it is possible to improve a user's feeling of use and to enhance satisfaction and fun by variously changing the volume, shape, etc. of a controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A controller capable of changing volume comprising:
a housing: a volume changing unit installed outside the housing and having one end and the other end movable with respect to the housing, respectively; a driving unit for moving at least one of one end and the other end of the volume changing unit; and a control unit for controlling the driving unit.

2 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 1 , wherein the volume changing unit comprises a plurality of flexible plates.

3 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of flexible plates are symmetrically arranged on the circumference of the housing.

4 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of moving blocks linearly moving by the driving unit are installed inside the housing, and
the volume changing unit comprises at least one flexible plate having one end and the other end coupled to different moving blocks, respectively.

5 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 4 , wherein the driving unit comprises a first driving unit and a second driving unit, and
one end of the flexible plate is coupled to a first moving block for reciprocating linear motion by the first driving unit, and the other end of the flexible plate is coupled to a second moving block for reciprocating linear motion by the second driving unit.

6 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 1 , wherein the volume changing unit comprises a plurality of flexible plates,
the driving unit comprises a plurality of upper driving units connected to upper ends of the plurality of flexible plates, respectively, and a plurality of lower driving units connected to lower ends of the plurality of flexible plates, respectively, and the control unit individually controls the shapes and positions of the plurality of flexible plates by independently controlling the plurality of upper driving units and the plurality of lower driving units.

7 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motion sensor that detects the movement of the controller, wherein the control unit controls the driving unit to operate the volume changing unit only when a detection value of the motion sensor satisfies a predetermined condition.

8 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 7 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor installed on the housing, wherein the control unit switches a mode of the controller from a standby mode to a motion monitoring mode when the detection value of the pressure sensor is greater than the predetermined value, and determines whether the detection value of the motion sensor satisfies the predetermined condition only after switching the mode to the motion monitoring mode.

9 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor installed on the housing, wherein the control unit controls the driving unit to operate the volume changing unit only when a detection value of the pressure sensor satisfies a predetermined condition.

10 . The controller capable of changing volume of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of moving blocks linearly moving by the driving unit are installed inside the housing,
the volume changing unit comprises at least one flexible plate having one end and the other end coupled to different moving blocks, respectively, and the control unit adjusts a gap between the two moving blocks, on which one end and the other end of the flexible plate are coupled, to a first distance when the detection value of the pressure sensor is within a first predetermined value, and adjusts the gap between the two moving blocks to a second distance different from the first distance when the detection value is greater than the first predetermined value.

Assignees

• Univ Korea Ind Univ Coop Found

Inventors

• Choi Dong Soo
• Kim Tae Hoon
• Kim Sang Youn

Classifications

• A63F13/24 Primary

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

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• A63F13/218 Primary

  using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player · CPC title

• G06F3/017

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title