US20080293491A1 - Game Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

A game controller connected to a game device is provided. The game controller includes a holding portion and a device for sensing physiological status. The holding portion is used for allowing the user to hold the game controller. The device for sensing physiological status is disposed at the holding portion. When the user holds the game controller, the physiological reaction data of the user is measured.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The invention relates to a game controller and, more particular, to a game controller with a device for sensing physiological status.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• The game market well develops nowadays. Software or hardware manufacturers develops new game devices (such as the television game, the computer game device, handheld game device and so on), and new game software is cooperated with the new game devices to meet the need of the consumer. For the early game form, a player sits in front of a screen to play the game by a keyboard or a joystick.
• Nowadays, for instant exercise amount monitoring or instant heartbeat monitoring, a device for sensing heartbeat is additionally disposed and is cooperated with a common sport equipment. As shown inFIG. 1A, taking the US application whose US publication number is U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,069 as an example, the application discloses adevice1 which is composed of a television game and a sport equipment. Thesport equipment10 of thedevice1 may be a sport bicycle. When a user bicycles, the television screen may display an image showing a virtual person is climbing at rocks. Thus, the exercise and the entertainment are combined. Thedevice1 may adjust the using parameters (such as the run rate) of thewhole sport equipment10 by monitoring the exercise amount condition of theuser11. Thedevice1 has afirst sensor12 for collecting the signals (such as the pedal speed) of the output end of thesport equipment10 and asecond sensor13 for collecting the exercise amount information (such as the heartbeat rate) of theuser11. The signals collected by thefirst sensor12 and thesecond sensor13 are transmitted to aprocessor15 by aninterface14, and they are transmitted to thetelevision controller16 after they are converted by theprocessor15 to adjust the difficulty degree to avoid overlarge exercise amount.
• According to the conventional technology, the exercise amount or heartbeat sensing device13 (the second sensor) may be a chip sensor attached to a lobe, a sensor fixed at the chest or the heartbeat sensor with other forms. The sensing device is independent of the whole game device. As shown inFIG. 1B showing another conventional technology, the heartbeat sensor2 is fixed at the chest of the user to monitor the change of the heartbeat rate of the user in exercising.
• Therefore, the sport equipment cooperated with the heartbeat sensing device may be applied to the hot game software and hardware, although it has not been seen now. However, when a user exercises strenuously, as shown inFIG. 1B, the heartbeat sensing device attached, clipped or fixed at the user in other manner is easy to be slipped off or be debyted from the original position. Thus, the measured heartbeat loses the fidelity, and the condition of the user cannot be shown instantly and actually. If the detachable heartbeat sensing device is detached, it may interfere with the process of the game. For the user, he should attach or clip the measuring sensor at one portion of the body before the game, it is inconvenient and uncomfortable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The invention provides a game controller connected to a game device to allow a user controlling the game device to execute different game software.
• The game controller includes a holding portion and a device for sensing physiological status. The holding portion is used for allowing a user to hold the game controller. The device for sensing physiological status is disposed at the holding portion. When a user holds the game controller, the physiological reaction data of the user is measured.
• These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a conventional sport equipment combined with a television game device;
• FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the conventional sport equipment combined with the television game device;
• FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a handheld game controller of an embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing a game steering wheel of an embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a single hand operated game controller of an embodiment of the invention; and
• FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an image of a game program cooperated with one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
• FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of thegame controller3 of the first embodiment of the invention. Thegame controller3 is a handheld joystick and it is connected to a game device to allow a user to operate the game device and play games.
• As shown inFIG. 2A, components of thejoystick3 include aholding portion31 and a device for sensingphysiological status32. Theholding portion31 is used for allowing a user to hold thejoystick3. The device for sensingphysiological status32 is disposed at theholding portion31. When a user holds thejoystick3, the device for sensingphysiological status32 measures the physiological reaction data of the user through the palm of the user or the body portion contacting theholding portion31.
• The device for sensingphysiological status32 may be an electrocardio monitoring device, and it is usually embedded at the outside surface of the holding portion and has afirst electrode32aand thesecond electrode32b,as shown inFIG. 2A. In a preferred embodiment, thefirst electrode32ais a positive electrode or a negative electrode, and thesecond electrode32bis a negative electrode or a positive electrode corresponding to thefirst electrode32a.The material of thefirst electrode32aand thesecond electrode32bof the device for sensingphysiological status32 may be a conductive rubber, a stainless steel or a silver/silver chloride reference electrode. Preferably, when the electrocardio signals are measured, a reference electrode contacting the leg may be added, or a conductive blanket contacting the feet may be disposed at the ground.
• The information which is measured is not limited to electrocardio information, it also may be palm holding force information or body temperature information.
• Thejoystick3 of the embodiment of the invention further has acasing33 and a plurality of keys disposed at the surface of the casing. The keys are, for example, thedirectional key34a,action key34b,acknowledgement key34c,cancelkey34dand so on. The keys form theoperating area34 of thejoystick3. The user may press thekeys34a,34b,34cand34din the operating area to generate the control signals.
• In addition, at least aprocessing chip35 and asignal transmitting device36 may be disposed in thecasing33 of thejoystick3. Theprocessing chip35 is used for converting the control signals and the physiological reaction signals captured by the device for sensingphysiological status32 to the digital data by the analogy/digital conversion. Thesignal transmitting device36 transmits the data processed by thechip35 to the game device.
• In a preferred embodiment, the transmitting mode of thesignal transmitting device36 is the wired transmission by a universal serial bus (USB), a PS/2 interface or an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface, which is not limited. The transmitting mode of thesignal transmitting device36 also may be the wireless transmission by the Bluetooth, the radio frequency (RF), the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) or the infrared.
• The operating mode among the two kinds of signals (the control signal and the physiological reaction signal), theprocessing chip35 and thesignal transmitting device36 may be one of modes described hereinbelow. First, both of the two kinds of signals are processed by asingle chip35 and are transmitted to the game device by a singlesignal transmitting device36. Second, two kinds of signals are processed bydifferent chips35 and are transmitted to the game device by the singlesignal transmitting device36. Third, two kinds of signals are processed bydifferent chips35 and are transmitted to the game device by differentsignal transmitting devices36. The operating mode is not limited by the above modes.
• The structure, relative disposing relationships and functions of the components of thejoystick33 of the embodiment of the invention are clear. The using mode and the related application of thejoystick3 assembled by the components are described hereinbelow.
• As shown inFIG. 2A, thejoystick3 has two holdingportions31 for allowing the user to hold by the hands. Thefirst electrode32aand thesecond electrode32bof the device for sensingphysiological status32 are disposed at the outside surface of the two holdingportions31, respectively. Therefore, when the user holds thejoystick3 by the hands, the electrocardio status information such as the electrocardio or the body temperature of the user may be measured by the device for sensingphysiological status32 by the palm or other body portion contacting the holdingportions31.
• According to an embodiment ofFIG. 2B, the game controller also may be a game steering wheel4 cooperated with a racing car game program, as shown inFIG. 1B. The steering wheel4 also has two holdingportions41 for allowing a user to hold by hands. The first electrode42aand thesecond electrode42bof the device for sensing physiological status are disposed at the outside surface of the two holdingportions41. In addition, the steering wheel4 also has acasing43, a plurality ofkeys44 disposed at thecasing43 and a signal transmitting device (not shown), the functions and the relative disposing manner thereof are the same with that of the embodiment ofFIG. 2A, and therefore, they are not described for concise purpose.
• The steering wheel4 also has at least aprocessing chip45 disposed in the casing of the central shaft of the steering wheel4. The disposing mode is not limited, and theprocessing chip45 also may be disposed in the holdingportion41.
• According to the above description, when a user holds the steering wheel4 by the hands, the physiological status information such as the electrocardio or body temperature of the user is measured by the device for sensingphysiological status42 by the palm or other body portion contacting the holdingportion41.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of agame controller5 of the second embodiment of the invention. Thegame controller5 is a single hand operated joystick with a holdingportion51 for allowing a user to hold by one hand. Theleft hand sensor52aand theright hand sensor52bof the device for sensingphysiological status52 are disposed at the left and right lateral surfaces of the holdingportion51 for allowing a user to hold by the left hand or the right hand. The single hand operatedjoystick5 also has acasing53, a plurality ofkeys54 disposed on thecasing53, at least aprocessing chip55 and asignal transmitting device56. The functions and the relative disposing manner thereof are the same with the embodiment of theFIG. 2A. In the second embodiment, the device for sensingphysiological status52 may be a far infrared sensing device to detect the tiny change of the far infrared caused by the flowing blood in the blood capillary affected by each heartbeat.
• To sum up, both of the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the invention utilizes the device for sensing physiological status cooperated with the game controller and solves the problem of the conventional technology. Furthermore, the game controller of the embodiment of the invention is combined with a game device, and the game device further may be combined with a display device such as a television or a projector. When a user operates the game controller to execute different game program, the physiological information such as the electrocardio or the body temperature of the user may be measured by the device for sensing physiological status instantly. Afterward, after the processing chip in the game controller converts the physiological information to the digital data by the A/D program, the digital data is transmitted to the game device by the signal transmitting device. At last, the game device displays the collected physiological information on the display device, as shown inFIG. 4.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a display image7 of a display device cooperated with an embodiment of the invention. Besides thegame score71 originally displayed in the display image7, the collectedelectrocardio information72 also may be displayed at the display device by the game device. However, the data that may be displayed is not limited to be theelectrocardio information72. A user may set some parameters (such as age, estimated exercise amount, the upper limitation of the heartbeat value, the upper and lower limitation of the blood pressure and so on) by the host, and the measured physiological information is converted to be theexercise amount condition73 displayed on the display image7. Thus, the user may avoid the strenuous sports, or theexercise amount condition73 also may be used as the index of training, exercise amount or the calorie consumption.
• The game device may be set to cooperate with the physiological condition of the user to adjust the difficulty degree of the game and even to end the game when the health condition of the user is not suitable for the present game (such as when the electrocardio signals are abnormal) or when the user plays for a overlong time. In a preferred embodiment, taking a combat game program as example, when the device for sensing physiological status measures that the heartbeat of a user is too fast, and the value exceeds the upper limitation set for the user, the game device may correspondingly decrease the fighting force of the opponent after it receives the data transmitted from the game controller.
• The above display device is not limited to the device used by the user playing the game, it also may be a display device provided at other position. For example, if the display device is a television in the room of parents, the parents may view the physiological condition of the child playing the game.
• Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.

Claims (13)

1. A game controller connected to a game device for a user operating the game device, the game controller comprising:

a holding portion; and

a device for sensing physiological status disposed on the holding portion, the device for sensing physiological status is capable of measuring physiological reaction data of the user.

2. The game controller according toclaim 1, wherein the game controller further comprises a casing and a plurality of keys disposed at the surface of the casing, and a control signal is generated when the user presses one or any combination of the keys.

3. The game controller according toclaim 1, wherein the device for sensing physiological status is an electrocardio sensing device having at least two electrodes and embedded at the outside surface of the holding portion.

4. The game controller according toclaim 1, wherein the physiological reaction data measured by the device for sensing physiological status is a body temperature data.

5. The game controller according toclaim 4, wherein the material of the electrodes is a conductive rubber, a stainless steel or a silver/sliver chloride reference electrode.

6. The game controller according toclaim 4, wherein the game controller has two holding portions for allowing the user to hold the game controller by the two hands, and the two electrodes are disposed at the two holding portions, respectively.

7. The game controller according toclaim 6, wherein the game controller is a handheld joystick or a steering wheel.

8. The game controller according toclaim 1, wherein the device for sensing physiological status is a far infrared sensing device.

9. The game controller according toclaim 1, wherein the game controller has a holding portion for allowing the user to hold the game controller by one hand, and the device for sensing physiological status has a left hand sensor and a right hand sensor disposed at the left and right lateral surfaces of the holding portion.

10. The game controller according toclaim 1, wherein the game controller is a single hand operated joystick or a mouse specially used for games.

11. The game controller according toclaim 2, wherein the game controller further has at least a processing chip and a signal transmitting device, the chip is used for converting the control signal and the physiological reaction signal captured by the device for sensing physiological status to the digital data, and then the digital data is transmitted to the game device by the signal transmitting device.

12. The game controller according toclaim 11, the transmitting mode of the signal transmitting device is a wired transmission mode and is one of a USB transmission mode, a PS/2 interface transmission mode and an IEEE 1394 interface transmission mode.

13. The game controller according toclaim 11, wherein the transmitting mode of the signal transmitting device is a wireless transmission mode and is one of a RF transmission mode, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) transmission mode and an infrared transmission mode.

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