JP2000202157A - Game controller - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To provide a game controller having better operability than before. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A rotating dial 19 and an electric switch which is turned on and off in conjunction with a sliding operation of the rotating dial 19 in a housing 15 of the game controller. An operation input device constituted by a push switch 31 for generating a signal is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a technique for improving the operability of a game controller used in a home video game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A game controller connected to a home video game machine is provided with various operation input means so that a player can enjoy a game in the best condition. FIG. 6 shows a conventional standard game controller.
The game controller has a cross key 3, an instruction button 5, a trigger button 7, and a main button 9 as operation input means. The cross key 3 is mainly used for moving a cursor or a game character displayed on the screen, and the instruction button 5 or the trigger button 7 is mainly used for a missile launch instruction or a game item selection. Used in

[0003]

By the way, in a role playing game or the like which is a typical game genre executed on a home video game machine, an item specific to a player is selected from a large number of items displayed in a list. The scene where the user selects is often used. In such a situation, when the above-described conventional game controller is used, the player presses the cross key 3 with one hand to overlay the item on which the cursor is to be selected, and presses the instruction button 5 with the other hand. Operation. Therefore, if the item to be selected is far from the cursor or if there are many items in the list,
The cross key 3 had to be pressed many times. Recently, software that enables the use of the Internet on video game consoles has also appeared, but when using the Internet, select characters from a list of character types displayed on the display, such as when entering a URL. Often you have to enter Even in such a case, the player is forced to perform the same burdensome operation as described above.

[0004] As described above, when an operation for designating a specific target from among a large number of options displayed in a list is performed, the operation input device of the conventional game controller is not necessarily operable.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a game controller which is more operable than the conventional game controller.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game controller having a housing having a grip for guiding a user to a predetermined holding manner. A push button disposed at a predetermined position of the housing that can be operated with a finger while holding the housing, and a predetermined position of the housing that can be operated with a finger while holding the housing. A rotating disk rotatably supported so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, an elastic mechanism acting in a direction to protrude the rotating disk to the outside of the housing, and an on / off electric device in conjunction with the sliding operation of the rotating disk. A push switch that generates a signal, a rotation detector that detects displacement due to rotation of the rotating disk and converts the displacement into an electric signal, the push button, the push switch, and the like. Processing electrical signals from the fine said rotation detector and further comprising a transmission means for transmitting to the video game machine of the computer.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a game controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. The game controller is configured with a housing 15 having a left grip 13L and a right grip 13R having a substantially conical shape as a main body. A circuit board K (not shown) is built in the housing 15, and a communication cable 17 for connection to a video game machine connected to the circuit board K extends above the housing 15.

The housing 15 is used as an operation input device.
There are two main buttons 9 in the center of the front surface, a cross key 3 on the front left and right at a position where the operator can easily operate with the left thumb holding the left grip 13L, and the right grip. Four instruction buttons 5 are respectively provided at positions where they can be easily operated by the thumb of the right hand holding the portion 13R.
On the left side of the instruction button 5, a rotary dial 19 described later is provided. On the other hand, on the upper side of the housing 15, two trigger buttons 7 are provided, two on each of the left and right sides.

Among these operation input devices, the rotary dial 1
The lower part of the devices other than 9 is connected to electric switches formed on the circuit board, and when the player presses these operation input devices with a finger, the electric switches are turned on.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Is rotatably supported at the tip of an L-shaped bracket 23 rotatably supported by the indication base 21 on the circuit board K. Further, the elastic roller 27 of the rotary encoder 25 fixed on the circuit board K is pressed against the rotary dial 19 from the horizontal direction. The elastic roller 27 rotates with the rotation of the rotary dial, and the rotational displacement is converted into an electric signal by an encoder unit in the rotary encoder 25. The electric signal includes information on the rotational displacement of the rotary dial 19 and information indicating in which direction the rotary dial 19 has rotated. The L-shaped bracket 23 and the circuit board K
A push switch 31 and a spring 33 fixed on the circuit board K are interposed therebetween, and the repulsive force of the spring 33 is such that the L-shaped bracket 23 is at a height at which the push switch 31 is turned off in a normal state. It acts in the direction in which the rotating dial 19 is projected out of the housing 15. When the player presses the rotary dial 19 in the direction of the housing 15 with the finger Y, the L-shaped bracket 23 slides downward and the push switch 31 is turned on. The push switch 31 has a built-in mechanism for giving a sense of click (click) to the finger every time the push switch 31 is turned on.

FIG. 3 shows a block configuration inside the game controller. The electric signal generated by each operation input device described above is transmitted to the operation control circuit 35 mounted on the circuit board K.
Is input to The operation control circuit 35 converts an electric signal input from each operation input device into a predetermined signal format, and transmits the signal to a transmission control circuit 37 mounted on the circuit board K. The transmission control circuit 37 outputs a signal sent from the operation control circuit 35 to the communication cable 17 in a predetermined communication protocol format, and transmits the signal to the computer of the video game machine G.

Next, an example of using the rotary dial 19 of the game controller described above will be described. FIG. 4 is an item selection screen displayed on the display by the game machine during the role playing game. On this screen, an item list 41 for equipping the hero character of the game is displayed. When the operator rotates the rotary dial 19 with the thumb, the cursor 43 moves in accordance with the operation. When the player places the cursor 43 on the item to be selected and presses the rotary dial 19 in this state, a signal indicating that the item has been selected is transmitted to the video game machine G.

=== Other Embodiments === By the way, the position where the rotary dial 19 is provided is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, operability such as providing the rotary dial 19 on the upper side surface of the housing is provided. What is necessary is just to arrange | position at an optimal position suitably according to a use. In the case of a one-handed game controller, for example, a rotary dial may be provided at a position shown in FIG.

Further, knurling may be applied to the outer peripheral side surface of the rotary dial 19 in order to prevent slippage when rotating with a finger.

As a method of detecting the rotational displacement of the rotary dial 19, the rotary encoder 25 of the above-described method is used.
However, the present invention is not limited to the one using the optical means, and for example, one using optical means or one using magnetic means may be adopted.

In the case where the video game machine G connects to the Internet and browses WWW contents using a WWW browser, the screen is frequently scrolled. In such a case, for example, rotation of the rotary dial 19 is performed. It is also conceivable to use the screen such that the screen is scrolled and displayed in conjunction with.

[0017]

As described above, since the game controller of the present invention has the rotary disk type operation input device which also functions as a push switch, for example, a certain target is specified from the list displayed on the screen. Such operations can be performed by a simple operation of simply rotating the rotating disk with a finger and pressing the same, and the operation load is reduced as compared with a conventional cross key and the like, and the operability is significantly improved.

In addition, the game controller is provided with a new type of operation input device called a rotating disk, which stimulates the desire to develop software such as new games and applications utilizing the device, and is expected to activate the industry. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a game controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a rotary dial of a game controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal block configuration of a game controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing an item selection screen displayed on a display by a game machine while a role playing game according to an embodiment of the present invention is being performed.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a game controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a conventional game controller.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Cross key 5 Instruction button 7 Trigger button 9 Main button 13L Left grip 13R Right grip 15 Housing 17 Communication cable 19 Rotary dial 31 Push switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] A housing having a grip for guiding the body in a predetermined manner; a push button disposed at a predetermined position of the housing operable with a finger while holding the housing; A rotating disk rotatably supported at a predetermined position of the housing operable with a finger while holding the housing in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of the housing, and a direction in which the rotating disk protrudes outside the housing. An elastic mechanism that works, a push switch that generates an on / off electric signal in conjunction with the sliding operation of the rotating disk, a rotation detector that detects displacement due to rotation of the rotating disk and converts this to an electric signal, A game comprising a push button and transmission means for processing an electric signal from the push switch and the rotation detector and sending the processed signal to a computer of a video game machine. controller.