阅读说明：本技术 具有手部保持器、外壳和手指感应的电子控制器 (Electronic controller with hand holder, housing and finger sensing ) 是由 E·J·霍普 S·尼特菲尔德 C·康利 S·R·布里特 J·W·穆哈 J·G·莱因堡 J 于 2018-12-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于电子系统的控制器,包括具有头部和手柄的控制器主体,以及固定到所述控制器主体的跟踪构件。所述头部包括至少一个拇指操作的控件,并且所述手柄具有被外壳部分地包裹的管状壳体。所述控制器包括手部保持器,所述手部保持器被配置来将使用者的手掌物理地偏压在所述外壳上。第一多个跟踪换能器设置在所述跟踪构件中,所述第一多个跟踪传感器通过电磁辐射与所述电子系统耦合。接近传感器的阵列在所述外壳上在空间上分布,所述接近传感器的阵列响应于使用者的手指与所述外壳的接近程度。(A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a head and a handle, and a tracking member secured to the controller body. The head includes at least one thumb-operated control, and the handle has a tubular housing partially encased by a shell. The controller includes a hand retainer configured to physically bias a user's palm against the housing. A first plurality of tracking transducers is disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking sensors being coupled to the electronic system by electromagnetic radiation. An array of proximity sensors is spatially distributed on the housing, the array of proximity sensors being responsive to proximity of a user's finger to the housing.)

1. A controller for an electronic system for operation by a user, the user's hand having a thumb, fingers and palm, the controller comprising:

a controller body having a head and a handle, the head including at least one thumb-operated control, and the handle having a tubular housing partially encased by a housing;

a tracking member fixed to the controller body;

a hand retainer configured to physically bias the palm of the user against the housing;

a first plurality of tracking transducers disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking transducers coupled with the electronic system by electromagnetic radiation; and

an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed on the housing, the array of proximity sensors being responsive to a proximity of the user's finger to the housing.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of tracking transducers comprises a plurality of tracking sensors responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system.

3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the plurality of tracking sensors are infrared light sensors responsive to pulsed infrared light emitted by the electronic system.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein each of the infrared light sensors is covered by an infrared transmissive polycarbonate plastic.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of tracking transducers comprises a plurality of tracking beacons that emit electromagnetic radiation that is received by the electronic system.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tracking member is a tracking arc having an arc shape.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tracking member is secured to the controller body by being joined to the controller body at two locations, and the hand retainer biases the palm of the user against the housing between the two locations.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein the hand retainer comprises a hand retaining strap disposed between the handle and the tracking member.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein the hand retainer comprises a hand retaining strap adjustable in length and configured to contact the back of the hand of the user.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein the hand retention strap includes an internal curved elastic member.

11. The controller of claim 1, further comprising a second plurality of tracking transducers disposed in the controller body, the second plurality of tracking transducers comprising at least one distal tracking transducer disposed adjacent a distal end of the head.

12. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tracking member comprises two noses, each nose protruding from a corresponding one of two opposing distal ends of the tracking member, each nose comprising at least one of the first plurality of tracking transducers.

13. The controller of claim 1, wherein the array of proximity sensors is a plurality of capacitive sensors attached to an inner surface of the housing.

14. The controller of claim 13, wherein the plurality of capacitive sensors are disposed on a flexible circuit attached to an inner surface of the housing.

15. The controller of claim 1, wherein the housing angularly spans at least 100 degrees but no more than 170 degrees of an entire circumference of the tubular housing of the handle.

16. The controller of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first electrical connector portion and the tubular housing of the handle comprises a second electrical connector portion, and the first and second electrical connector portions are mated and connectable.

17. The controller of claim 16, further comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) mounted within the tubular housing of the handle, the second electrical connector portion being electrically coupled to the PCB.

18. The controller of claim 17, wherein the PCB comprises a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR), and the controller further comprises a plunger that transmits a compressive force applied to the exterior of the tubular housing of the handle inwardly to the FSR.

19. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tubular housing of the handle is longitudinally split by a seam, and the outer shell spans the seam.

20. The controller of claim 1, wherein the outer shell has a shell thickness and the tubular housing has a housing wall thickness, and the shell thickness is less than one-third of the housing wall thickness.

21. A controller for an electronic system for operation by a user, the user's hand having a thumb, fingers and palm, the controller comprising:

a controller body having a head and a handle, the head including at least one thumb-operated control;

a tracking member fixed to the controller body;

a hand retainer configured to physically bias the palm of the user against an outer surface of the handle;

a first plurality of tracking transducers disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking transducers coupled with the electronic system by electromagnetic radiation; and

an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed on the handle, the array of proximity sensors responsive to proximity of the user's finger to the outer surface of the handle.

Background

The video game industry has become large and important and spawned many innovations in software and related hardware. Various hand-held video game controllers have been designed, manufactured, and sold for a variety of gaming applications. Some of these innovations have applicability outside of the video game industry, such as controllers for industrial machines, defense systems, robots, and the like. Virtual Reality (VR) systems are applications that are drawing tremendous contemporary interest and rapid technological development both within and outside the video game industry. Controllers for VR systems must perform several different functions and meet stringent (and sometimes competitive) design constraints, often while optimizing certain desired characteristics (such as ease of use), etc. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved controller design that can improve VR systems and/or better facilitate user operation.

Drawings

Fig. 1 depicts a controller having a hand holder in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 depicts the controller of fig. 1 in a hand with the palm of the user splayed upward.

Fig. 3 depicts the controller of fig. 1 in a user's closed hand.

FIG. 4 depicts the controller of FIG. 1 in a user's palm-down hand.

Fig. 5 depicts a pair of controls having a hand retainer in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6A depicts a front view of a right hand controller according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6B depicts a rear view of the right hand controller of fig. 6A.

Fig. 7A depicts a window for an infrared light sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7B depicts a window for an infrared light sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the right hand control of FIG. 6A with the outer shell of the tubular housing partially enclosing the control handle exploded to reveal the instruments on its inner surface.

FIG. 9A depicts a cross section of the right hand control of FIG. 6A with the outer shell of the tubular housing partially enclosing the control handle exploded away.

Fig. 9B depicts the cross-section of fig. 9A, except that the housing is mounted in its normal operating position.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 through 4 depict a controller 100 for an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The controller 100 may be utilized by an electronic system, such as a VR video game system, a robot, a weapon, or a medical device. The controller 100 may include a controller body 110 having a handle 112, and a hand holder 120 for holding the controller 100 in a user's hand (e.g., the user's left hand). The handle 112 includes a tubular housing, which may optionally be substantially cylindrical. In this context, the substantially cylindrical shape does not necessarily have a constant diameter or a perfectly circular cross-section.

In the embodiment of fig. 1-4, the controller body 110 can include a head (between the handle 112 and the distal end 111) that can optionally include one or more thumb-operated controls 114, 115, 116. For example, if a tilt button or any other button, knob, scroll wheel, joystick or trackball can be conveniently operated by a user's thumb during normal operation when the controller 100 is held in the user's hand, it can be considered a thumb-operated control.

The controller 100 preferably includes a tracking member 130, the tracking member 130 being fixed to the controller body 110 and optionally including two noses 132, 134, each protruding from an opposite one of two opposite distal ends of the tracking member 130. In the embodiment of fig. 1-4, the tracking member 130 is preferably, but not necessarily, a tracking arc having an arcuate shape. The tracking member 130 includes a plurality of tracking transducers disposed therein, with preferably at least one tracking transducer disposed in each protruding nose 132, 134. Additional tracking transducers may also be provided in the controller body 110, with preferably at least one distal tracking transducer being provided adjacent the distal end 111.

The aforementioned tracking transducers may be tracking sensors that are responsive to electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) emitted by the electronic system, or they may alternatively be tracking beacons that emit electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) received by the electronic system. For example, the electronic system may be a VR gaming system that broadly broadcasts (i.e., paints) pulsed infrared light toward the controller 100, wherein the plurality of tracking transducers of the tracking means 130 are infrared light sensors that can receive or be shadowed by the broadcasted pulsed infrared light. The tracking transducers in each nose 132, 134 (e.g., 3 sensors in each nose) preferably overhang the user's hands on each distal end of the tracking member 130, and thus may be better exposed (around the user's hands) to receive electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system, or to transmit electromagnetic radiation to the electronic system at greater angles without creating unacceptable amounts of shading.

Preferably, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 are made of a substantially rigid material (such as a rigid plastic) and are securely fixed together so that they do not significantly translate or rotate relative to each other. In this way, tracking of the translation and rotation of the group of tracking transducers in space is preferably not complicated by the motion of the tracking transducers relative to each other. For example, as shown in fig. 1 to 4, the tracking member 130 may be fixed to the controller main body 110 by being joined to the controller main body 110 at two positions. The hand retainer 120 may be attached to the controller 100 (either the controller body 110 or the tracking member 130) adjacent those two locations to bias the user's palm onto the outer surface of the handle 112 between the two locations.

In certain embodiments, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 may comprise a unitary, one-piece component with material continuity, rather than being assembled together. For example, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 may be molded together by a single injection molding process step, resulting in one unitary rigid plastic component that includes both the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110. Alternatively, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 may be initially manufactured separately and then later assembled together. Either way, the tracking member 130 may be considered as being fixed to the controller body 110.

The hand holder 120 is shown in an open position in fig. 1. The hand holder 120 may optionally be biased in the open position by a curved resilient member 122 to facilitate insertion of the user's left hand between the hand holder 120 and the controller body 110 when the user grasps the controller and vision is blocked by the VR goggles. For example, the curved resilient member 122 may optionally be a resiliently curved flexible metal strip, or may comprise an alternative plastic material, such as nylon, which may be substantially resiliently curved. The curved elastic member 122 may optionally be partially or completely inside or covered by a cushion or fabric material 124 (e.g., a neoprene sock) for user comfort. Alternatively, the cushion or fabric material 124 may be disposed on (e.g., bonded to) only the side of the curved elastic member 122 that faces the user's hand.

The hand holder 120 optionally may be adjustable in length, for example, by including a pull cord 126 that is cinched by a spring biased fairlead (chock) 128. The pull cord 126 may optionally have an excess length that may be used as a lanyard. The sheath 124 is optionally attachable to a pull cord. In certain embodiments, the curved elastic member 122 may be preloaded by the tension of a cinched draw cord 126. In such embodiments, the tension imparted to the hand holder 120 by the curved resilient member 122 (to bias it in the open position) causes the hand holder to automatically open when the draw cord 126 is released. The present disclosure also contemplates alternative conventional ways for adjusting the length of the hand retainer 120, such as cleats, elastic bands (stretched temporarily when inserting a hand so that elastic tension is applied to press against the back of the hand), hook and loop strap attachments that allow length adjustment, and the like.

The hand holder 120 may be disposed between the handle 112 and the tracking member 130 and configured to contact the back of the user's hand. Fig. 2 shows the controller 100 during operation with the user's left hand inserted therein, but without gripping the controller body 110. In fig. 2, the hand retainer 120 is closed and tightened on the hand to physically bias the palm of the user against the outer surface of the handle 112. In this way, the hand holder 120 can hold the controller 100 in the hand when closed even if the hand does not grip the controller body 110. Fig. 3 and 4 depict the controller 100 during operation when the hand holder 120 is closed, and the hand is gripping the controller body 110 and the thumb is operating one or more of the thumb-operated controls (e.g., track pad 116).

The handle 112 of the controller body 110 preferably includes an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed partially or completely around its outer surface. The proximity sensors in the array need not be equal in size and have equal spacing therebetween, although the array may include a grid. The array of proximity sensors is preferably responsive to the proximity of a user's finger to the outer surface of the handle 112. For example, the array of proximity sensors may be a plurality of capacitive sensors embedded under an outer surface of the handle 112, wherein the outer surface comprises an electrically insulating material. The capacitance between such an array of capacitive sensors and a portion of a user's hand is inversely related to the distance therebetween. The capacitance can be sensed by connecting an RC oscillator circuit to the elements of the capacitive sensor array and it is noted that the time constant of the circuit (and hence the period and frequency of oscillation) will vary with the capacitance. In this manner, the circuit may detect the release of the user's finger from the outer surface of the handle 112.

When the hand retainer 120 (e.g., hand retaining strap) is tightly closed, it not only serves to prevent the controller 100 from falling out of the hand, but also to prevent excessive translation of the finger relative to the proximity sensor array of the handle 112 for more reliable sensing of finger motion. The electronic system may include algorithms embodying anatomically possible movements of the fingers to better use the sensing from the proximity sensor array to present opening, finger pointing, or other movements of the fingers relative to the controller or to each other of the controlled character's hand. In this way, user movement of the controller 100 and/or fingers may help control VR gaming systems, defense systems, medical systems, industrial robots or machines, or other devices. In VR system applications (e.g., for game play, training, etc.), the system may present a throwing motion based on tracking the movement of the transducer, and may present a release of the thrown object based on a sensed release of the user's finger from the outer surface of the controller handle.

Thus, the functionality of the hand retainer 120 (allowing the user to "let go" of the controller 100 without the controller 100 actually becoming detached from the hand or being thrown or dropped to the floor) may enable additional functionality of the controlled electronic system. For example, if a release and resumption of a user's grip of the handle 112 of the controller body 110 is sensed, such release or grip may be incorporated into the game to show (e.g., in a VR) that an object is thrown or gripped. The hand holder 120 may allow this function to be accomplished repeatedly and safely. For example, the position of the hand holder 120 in the embodiment of fig. 1-4 may help the tracking means 130 to protect the back of the user's hand from collisions in the real world, for example, when the user moves in response to cues sensed in the VR environment (e.g., when actually occluded by VR goggles).

In certain embodiments, the controller 100 may include a rechargeable battery disposed within the controller body 110, and the hand holder 120 (e.g., hand holding strap) may include a conductive charging wire electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery. The controller 100 preferably also includes a Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter for communicating with the rest of the electronic system. Such an RF transmitter may be powered by a rechargeable battery and may be responsive to thumb-operated controls 114, 115, 116, a proximity sensor in the handle 112 of the controller body 110, and/or a tracking sensor in the tracking member 130.

As shown in fig. 5, in certain embodiments, the controller 100 may be a left-side controller in a pair of controllers that includes a similar right-side controller 200. In certain embodiments, the controllers 100 and 200 may (together) track the user's movements and grips of both hands simultaneously, for example to enhance the VR experience.

Fig. 6A depicts a front view of a right hand controller 600 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6B depicts a rear view of the right hand controller 600. The controller 600 has a controller body that includes a head 610 and a handle 612. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, the head 610 includes at least one thumb-operated control A, B, 608, and may also include a control configured to be operated by an index finger (e.g., trigger 609). The handle 612 includes a tubular housing that is partially encased by a shell 640.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, the tracking member 630 is fixed to the controller body at the head 610 and at the end of the handle 612. The hand retainer 620 is configured to physically bias the palm of the user's hand against the housing 640 between the head 610 and the end of the handle 612. The hand holder 620 is preferably disposed between the handle 612 and the tracking member 630, and may comprise a hand-holding strap that is adjustable in length and configured to contact the back of the user's hand. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, the hand retainer 620 optionally includes a pull cord 628, and optionally is length adjustable by a cord lock 626 (adjacent the distal end of the handle 612), the cord lock 626 selectively preventing sliding movement of the pull cord 628 at the location of the cord lock 626.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, tracking transducers 632, 633 are disposed on tracking member 630, with tracking transducer 633 disposed on a protruding nose at the opposite distal end of tracking member 630. Additional tracking transducers 634 are optionally provided on the distal region of the head 610. Tracking transducers 632, 633 and 634 may be tracking sensors that are responsive to electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) emitted by an electronic system (e.g., a virtual reality gaming system), or may be tracking beacons that emit electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) received by the electronic system. For example, the electronic system may be a VR gaming system that broadly broadcasts (i.e., whitewashes) pulsed infrared light toward the controller 600, where the tracking transducers 632, 633, and 634 are infrared light sensors that can receive the broadcasted pulsed infrared light. The response of such tracking sensors may be communicated back to the electronic system, and the system may interpret such response to effectively track the position and orientation of the controller 600.

One or more of the tracking transducers 632, 633, 634 optionally may be configured as shown in the embodiment of fig. 7A, or alternatively as shown in the embodiment of fig. 7B, or alternatively in a conventional manner not shown. The lower portion of fig. 7A depicts an exploded perspective view of infrared light sensor 750 electrically connected to flex circuit 751, with infrared light sensor 750 shown below a rectangular portion of an overlying windowed housing wall 755 comprising an infrared opaque plastic. Windowed housing wall 755 includes a window 756. Window 756 preferably comprises an infrared transmissive polycarbonate plastic and may include an underside recess for receiving the thickness of infrared light sensor 750.

According to the embodiment of fig. 7A, the windowed housing wall (e.g., the outer structure of tracking member 630 or head 610 of fig. 6A) can be manufactured by a so-called "two-shot" injection molding process, such that a majority of the housing wall is made of infrared opaque plastic, but wherein the infrared transmissive plastic is disposed in window 756 above infrared light sensor 750.

The upper portion of fig. 7A depicts a cross-sectional view of the assembled infrared light sensor 750, flex circuit 751, and windowed housing wall 755. The infrared light, which is shown in fig. 7A as three downward arrows incident on the window 756 from above, passes through the window 756 to be received by the infrared light sensor 750 below. Because housing wall 755 comprises an infrared opaque plastic, infrared light impinging on it will not pass through, and a portion may be reflected back to the window to be received by infrared light sensor 750. In this manner, although a majority of housing wall 755 comprises infrared opaque plastic, window 756 allows infrared light to affect infrared light sensor 750 such that infrared light sensor 750 only receives infrared light from a preferred range of angles.

Alternatively, one or more of the tracking transducers 632, 633, 634 optionally may be configured as shown in the embodiment of fig. 7B. The lower portion of fig. 7B depicts an exploded perspective view of infrared light sensor 750 electrically connected to flex circuit 751, the infrared light sensor 750 being shown below a rectangular portion of an overlying housing wall 758 comprising an IR transmissive plastic. The housing wall 758 is coated with an infrared opaque film 757 that is patterned to include a window 759 (where the infrared opaque film 757 is not present).

The upper portion of fig. 7B depicts a cross-sectional view of assembled infrared light sensor 750, flex circuit 751, housing wall 758, and IR opaque film 757. Infrared light, shown in fig. 7B as three downward arrows incident on housing wall 758 from above, passes through window 759 in infrared opaque film 757 to be received therefrom through housing wall 758 by infrared light sensor 750 below. Since the housing wall 758 comprises infrared transmissive plastic, infrared light impinging on it can enter it and disappear, and perhaps unintentionally and undesirably even reach nearby sensors by internal reflection. In this way, the window 759 in the infrared opaque film 757 allows infrared light to mainly affect the infrared light sensor 750.

Fig. 8 shows a side view of the right hand controller 600 with the housing 640 of the tubular housing partially enclosing the handle 612 exploded to reveal the instruments on its inner surface. In the embodiment of fig. 8, the instrument may include an array of proximity sensors 800 spatially distributed on an inner surface of the housing 640, the array of proximity sensors 800 being responsive to the proximity of a user's finger to the housing 640. The proximity sensors 800 in the array need not be equal in size, nor do they need to be regularly or equidistantly spaced from one another. In certain embodiments, the array of proximity sensors 800 may preferably be a plurality of capacitive sensors connected to a flexible circuit bonded to the inner surface of the housing 640. In the embodiment of fig. 8, the housing 640 includes a first electrical connector portion 805 that is connectable to a mating second electrical connector portion of the handle 612 (as shown in more detail in fig. 9A-9B).

Fig. 9A-9B depict cross-sections of the right hand control 600 of fig. 6A showing that the handle of the control optionally may include tubular housing portions 612a, 612B, the right hand control 600 being divided longitudinally by seam 613 where tubular housing portions 612a and 612B abut. In fig. 9A, the housing 640 is shown exploded away from the rest of the handle. Fig. 9B depicts the cross-section of fig. 9A, except that the housing 640 is mounted in its normal operating position. In the embodiment of fig. 9A-9B, the first electrical connector portion 805 of the housing 640 is shown as being mated with and connectable to the second electrical connector portion 905 of the controller handle.

In the embodiment of fig. 9A-9B, housing 640 partially encases tubular shells 612a, 612B in such a way that it preferably overlaps longitudinal seam 613 so that longitudinal seam 613 can be positioned to optimize the manufacturing process, rather than accommodate the desired circumferential location of proximity sensor array 800. In certain embodiments, the outer shell 640 overlaps a circumferential portion C of the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle, and the circumferential portion C angularly spans at least 100 degrees but no more than 170 degrees of the entire circumference of the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle. In certain embodiments, this circumferential overlap may enable the proximity sensor array 800 to sense the proximity of a desired portion of a user's finger or palm (e.g., the area of the hand best indicative of a grip).

The tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle need not have a circular cross-section, and the term "circumferential" is used herein regardless of whether the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle has a circular cross-section. Herein, the term "circumference" refers to the complete circumference of the tubular housing 612a, 612b around the handle, which may be circular if the tubular housing 612a, 612b is a hollow cylinder of a right circular shape, but which may also be a closed shape other than circular if the tubular housing is shaped as a non-circular cylinder or a hollow prism.

In the embodiment of fig. 9A-9B, a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)920 may be mounted within the tubular housing 612a, 612B of the handle, with the second electrical connector portion 905 electrically coupled to the PCB 920. The PCB 920 optionally includes a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR)922 and the controller may also include a plunger 924 that conveys inward to the FSR922 the compressive force applied to the exterior of the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle by the housing 640. In certain embodiments, the FSR922 in combination with the proximity sensor array 800 may facilitate sensing both initiation of a user's grip (onset) and the relative strength of such grip by the user, which may facilitate certain gaming functions.

In certain embodiments, the shell thickness (measured radially in fig. 9A-9B) of the outer shell 640 is less than one third of the shell wall thickness of the tubular shell portion 612a or 612B of the handle. In those embodiments, such a difference in thickness may improve the sensitivity of the proximity sensor array 800 relative to alternative embodiments in which the proximity sensor array 800 is disposed on or in the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle.

The present invention is described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof, but those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. It is contemplated that various features and aspects of the invention may be used separately or in combination in different environments or applications. For example, features shown with respect to a right-hand controller may also be implemented in a left-hand controller, and vice versa. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative and exemplary rather than a restrictive sense. For example, the word "preferably" and the phrase "preferably, but not necessarily," are used synonymously herein to consistently include the meaning of "not necessarily," or "optionally. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be open-ended terms.