Controller notification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9308443-B2
Application number	US-201414258195-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2014
Priority date	Jan 12, 2005
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A method of associating a controller to a console comprises, at the controller, establishing a connection with the console such that the controller is assigned to one of a plurality of different ports of the console over which different controllers may separately communicate with the console. A visual indication is then provided on the controller to indicate to the user of the controller which one of the plurality of different ports of the console has been assigned to the controller and over which the controller communicates with the console.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of providing notifications in a gaming system, comprising:
illuminating a visual indicator on a controller to indicate a message to a user; the controller being assigned to one of a plurality of different ports of a console over which different controllers may separately communicate with the console;
displaying an onscreen notification on a display separate from the controller, and
providing the message to the user via a combination of said visual indicator and said onscreen notifications.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting the onscreen notification subsequent to illuminating visual indicator and the visual indicator is illuminated in a predetermined sequence.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a notification that said controller has been bound to the console.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising providing a notification that the controller has been discovered by the console.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a vibration controller, wherein the message to the user is provided by a combination of the visual indicator, onscreen notification, and vibration controller.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the onscreen notification includes one of a game invitation, a warning, or an error.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator indicates one of a binding, a discovery, a status, an error, or a notification.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator operates in a pattern comprising flash, cycle, or on.

9. A system for providing notifications in a gaming system, comprising:
a visual indicator on a controller operated by a user, the visual indicator being illuminated to indicate the presence of a message to a user and the controller being assigned to one of a plurality of different ports of a gaming console over which different controllers may separately communicate with the gaming console;
the gaming console configured for sending an onscreen notification to a display, wherein the display is separate from the gaming console; and
the message to the user is provided by a combination of the visual indicator and onscreen notification.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a vibration component on the controller operated by the user, wherein the message to the user is provided by a combination of the visual indicator, onscreen notification, and vibration controller.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the visual indicator indicates one of a binding, a discovery, a status, an error, or a notification.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the visual indicator operates in a pattern comprising flash, cycle or on.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the onscreen notification includes one of a game invitation, a warning, or an error.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Glaser Russell E
• Landers Amy Lynn
• Furr Kevin L
• Del Castillo Leonardo G
• Lum Richard S
• Gunn Steven R
• Guo Wei

Classifications

• A63F13/54

  involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall · CPC title

• A63F13/533

  for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu · CPC title

• G07F17/32 Primary

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title

• A63F2300/1037

  being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback · CPC title

• A63F13/26

  having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth · CPC title