Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05G—CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY
  • G05G9/00—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously
  • G05G9/02—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only
  • G05G9/04—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously
  • G05G9/047—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F13/00—Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
  • A63F13/20—Input arrangements for video game devices
  • A63F13/22—Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F13/00—Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
  • A63F13/20—Input arrangements for video game devices
  • A63F13/24—Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
  • G06F3/038—Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
  • G06F3/0383—Signal control means within the pointing device
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F2300/00—Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
  • A63F2300/10—Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
  • A63F2300/1018—Calibration; Key and button assignment
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F2300/00—Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
  • A63F2300/10—Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
  • A63F2300/1043—Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals being characterized by constructional details
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
  • G10H1/00—Details of electrophonic musical instruments
  • G10H1/32—Constructional details
  • G10H1/34—Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments

Definitions

• This invention relates to a joystick electrical switch assembly for use, for example, in the control of video games and as a computer peripheral.
• Electrical switch assemblies for controlling video games or computer games, serving to control horizontal and/or vertical movement of a'n image on a visual display include a plurality of switches which are selectively actuated in order to effect the required movements of the image and to effect other functions.
• an elec ⁇ trical switch assembly arranged for controlling a game called "Nintendo” requires four directional switches (or contact pairs), two “fire” switches, a "start” switch and a “select” switch. With such a large plurality of switches or contact pairs, the electrical cable which connects the switch assembly to the computer would need to include a large number.of individual conductors if one conductor per contact pair were required.
• a joystick electrical switch assembly comprising a hous ⁇ ing, a manually-operable control lever, said control lever being pivotally-mounted in the housing and projecting therefrom, a plurality of contact pairs at least some of which are disposed within the housing as an array around the control lever and are selectively actuable according to pivoting movements of the control lever, a circuit disposed within the housing and including a shift register having a plurality of stages with respective inputs and having the contact pair,s connected to respective said in ⁇ puts, the shift register further having a serial output and a control input serving to shift the register contents in steps and thus deliver signals to said serial output representing the states of said contact pairs, and an elec- trical cable being provided for the switch assembly and having a conductor connected to the control inputs of the shift register and a conductor connected to the serial output of the shift register.
• the shift register has an input for receiving a control signal for latching the data held by the shift register and represen ⁇ ting the states of the various switches or contact pairs. Once this control signal has been applied to latch the shift register data, a control signal Is applied repeti- tively to the control input of the shift register in order to shift the contents through the register as described above.
• the electrical switch assembly comprises a joystick assembly and is convenient to use, with a joystick lever being displaceable to actuate switches providing for "left”, “right”, “up” and “down” movement of the image on the vis ⁇ ual display, two "fire” buttons, a "start” button and a “select” button.
• FIGURE 1 is a side view of an electrical switch assembly
• FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section through the switch assembly of Figure 1, and
• FIGURE 3 is- a gircuit diagram of the switch assembly.
• an electrical switch assembly in the form of a joystick assem ⁇ bly, comprising a housing 1 intended to be held in the palm of the left hand, with a control lever or joystick 2 passing through the upper face of the housing and operable ⁇ by the right hand.
• the thumb of the left hand will rest in a groove formed in one side wall of the housing and the index finger and middle finger of the left hand will lie against "fire" buttons 3 > 4 provided in the opposite side wall.
• Figure 2 shows that the joystick 2 is pivoted at its lower end to the base of the housing and passes through a carrier 8 on which four microswitches are mounted as an array.
• a carrier 8 on which four microswitches are mounted as an array.
• the shaft In the neutral or vertical position of the joy ⁇ stick, its shaft is in contact with the spring-loaded actuators of all four of these microswitches; by selec- tive manual movement of joystick 2, any one or any adja ⁇ cent pair of the microswitches can be actuated (i.e. for "left", “right”, “up” or “down” movement of the image, or for either "left” or “right” with either “up” or “down”.
• the carrier 8 also mounts two further ' microswitches 9 , 10 for actuation by the "fire” buttons 3 and 4.
• a printed circuit board 11 Below the front end wall of the housing, a printed circuit board 11 is mounted and is provided with contact pairs which may be bridged, respectively, by the "Start” and
• 11 further mounts eight resistors R which are connected in series with respective ones of the eight switches just described and between a +5V line and a ground line, and also a shift register SR which in the example shown com- prises a 4021 device»
• the junctions between the switches and the respective resistors are connected to inputs of the respective stages of the shift register SR.
• a serial output A la provided from the shift register, and two con ⁇ trol inputs B and C are provided.
• the cable 7 in- eludes five individual conductors,being the +5V and ground lines and the signal lines A, B, C.
• each stage of the shift register receives either a logic "1" or "0” according to whether the respective switch is open or closed.
• the microprocessor desires to read the states of the eight switches of the assembly, the two con ⁇ trol lines B and C are taken to logic "1" or high by the microprocessor such that then the contents of the register will represent the states of the switches. Then, the microprocessor takes line C to logic "0" or low to latch the shift register contents. Whilst line C is maintained at logic "0", the register contents will be unaltered by any changes of the switches and these contents are read as follows. Firstly, the level at that time present on line A represents the first bit of the register and is read by the microprocessor.
• the microprocessor pulses line B to logic "0": at the end of this pulse (i.e. on the low-to-high transition), the contents of the shift register are shifted by one position, such that the second bit can be read by the microprocessor over line A.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Position Input By Displaying (AREA)
• Mechanical Control Devices (AREA)
• Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10605710

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1986
  • 1986-10-14 GB GB08624589A patent/GB2196449B/en not_active Expired
• 1987
  • 1987-10-13 WO PCT/GB1987/000698 patent/WO1988002896A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1987-10-13 JP JP62506146A patent/JPH01501348A/ja active Pending
  • 1987-10-13 EP EP87906751A patent/EP0299983A1/de not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events