Peripheral apparatus and method of construction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9387397-B2
Application number	US-201414251793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2014
Priority date	Apr 17, 2013
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A method of producing a handheld videogame controller is provided. The method includes providing a circuit board of a predetermined fixed size, the circuit board comprising a plurality of switches at predetermined positions. The method further includes obtaining measurements of at least a first hand of a user for whom the handheld videogame controller is to be produced, modifying a design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller responsive to the measurements, and 3D printing one or more modified parts of the handheld videogame controller using the modified design.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of producing a handheld videogame controller, comprising the steps of:
providing a circuit board of a predetermined fixed size, the circuit board comprising a plurality of switches at predetermined positions;
obtaining measurements of at least a first hand of a user for whom the handheld videogame controller is to be produced;
modifying a design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller responsive to the measurements; and
3D printing one or more modified parts of the handheld videogame controller using the modified design;
wherein each of the plurality of switches is arranged to mechanically couple with a corresponding button on the handheld videogame controller; and
wherein the circuit board is provided as part of a module comprising a pre-defined facia.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which the step of modifying the design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises adapting the modified design to maintain functional co-operation with the switches of the circuit board.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which at least one of the one or more modified parts is 3D printed directly onto at least one pre-defined part of the controller.

4. The method of claim 1 , in which at least one of the one or more modified parts is further modified to comprise an attachment means to complement an attachment means located on a pre-defined part of the controller.

5. The method claim 1 , in which the step of obtaining measurements of at least a first hand of a user comprises obtaining one or more measurements selected from the list consisting of:
i. a length of the user's index finger on the first hand;
ii. a combined length of the first two joints of the index finger;
iii. a length between a lowest joint of the index finger and a rotational base of a thumb of the first hand;
iv. a diametric length across a palm of the first hand;
v. a length of the thumb; and
vi. an arcuate range of the thumb.

6. The method of claim 5 , in which in which the step of modifying a design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises as applicable one or more selected from the list consisting of:
i. modifying a position of a shoulder button of the controller responsive to the length of the user's index finger;
ii. modifying a position of the shoulder button of the controller responsive to the combined length of the first two joints of the user's index finger;
iii. modifying a length of a handle portion of the controller responsive to the length between the lowest joint of the index finger and the rotational base of the thumb;
iv. modifying a length of the handle portion of the controller responsive to the diametric length across the palm of the user's hand;
v. modifying a width of the handle portion of the controller responsive to the length of the user's thumb; and
vi. modifying an angle of the handle portion of the controller relative to a central portion of the controller responsive to the arcuate range of the user's thumb.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the step of modifying the design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises repositioning a button that should mechanically couple to a switch on the circuit board, the design is further modified to adapt a mechanical linkage between the repositioned button and the switch in order to maintain the mechanical coupling.

8. A method of producing a handheld videogame controller, comprising the steps of:
providing a circuit board of a predetermined fixed size, the circuit board comprising a plurality of switches at predetermined positions;
obtaining measurements of at least a first hand of a user for whom the handheld videogame controller is to be produced;
modifying a design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller responsive to the measurements; and
3D printing one or more modified parts of the handheld videogame controller using the modified design,
wherein when the step of modifying the design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises repositioning a button that should mechanically couple to a switch on the circuit board by more than a predetermined extent, then one of a predetermined number of alternative circuit boards each of a respective predetermined fixed size is selected that most reduces a relative change in position between the respective switch on the circuit board and the respective button.

9. A handheld videogame controller, comprising:
a circuit board of a predetermined fixed size, comprising a plurality of switches at predetermined positions, the circuit board being provided as part of a module comprising a pre-defined facia; and
at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller, in which a default design of the handheld videogame controller has been modified responsive to measurements of at least a first hand of a user, and has been formed by 3D printing;
wherein each of the plurality of switches is arranged to mechanically couple with a corresponding button on the handheld videogame controller.

10. A handheld videogame controller according to claim 9 , in which at least a first 3D printed element of the handheld videogame controller has been modified in dependence upon a modification responsive to measurements of at least a first hand of a user, to maintain functional co-operation with a switch of the circuit board.

11. A handheld videogame controller according to claim 10 , in which when the handheld videogame controller has been modified to reposition a button that should couple to a switch on the circuit board, the handheld videogame controller comprises a modified mechanical linkage between the repositioned button and the switch in order to maintain a mechanical coupling.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein adapting the mechanical linkage between the repositioned button and the switch in order to maintain the mechanical coupling includes repositioning a protrusion extending along a portion of the button to maintain a relative position of the protrusion with the switch.

Assignees

• Sony Comp Entertainment Europe
• Sony Computer Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Goh Yee Woon

Classifications

• G06F3/0219

  Special purpose keyboards · CPC title

• A63F13/24 Primary

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

• A63F2300/1043

  being characterized by constructional details · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• G06F30/17 Primary

  Mechanical parametric or variational design · CPC title