Programmable game-based haptic enabled gun controller

Abstract

Various systems, game controllers, and methods for simulating various objects such as weapons are provided. For example, a game controller may include a trigger, a processor within the body that receives a trigger signal when the trigger is activated by the user. The processor may communicate with a computer running a software program such as a gaming application, and an actuator coupled to the trigger, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the trigger in response to receiving a control signal from the processor. The game controller may simulate a gun and generate a recoil effect. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by impacting a moving mass from a discharge end of the gun to a handle end of the gun. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by using a body part of a user as a tether.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A game controller comprising:
 a body having a handle adapted to be grasped by a user;   a trigger coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user's finger;   a directional-pad control coupled to the body, the directional-pad control adapted to be operated by the user;   a processor within the body and configured to receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated by the user and to receive a pad signal from the directional-pad control, the processor configured to communicate with a computer running a software program; and   an actuator coupled to the body, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the body in response to receiving a control signal from the processor.   
     
     
         29 . The game controller of  claim 28 , further comprising a position sensor coupled to the body, the position sensor configured to track the position and/or orientation of the controller and provide sensor signals to the processor and/or the computer regarding the position of the controller. 
     
     
         30 . The game controller of  claim 29 , wherein the position sensor is an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         31 . The game controller of  claim 29 , wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of a character of the user in the software program. 
     
     
         32 . The game controller of  claim 29 , wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of an object held by a character of the user in the software program. 
     
     
         33 . The game controller of  claim 28 , wherein the directional-pad control is configured to operate various features during game play. 
     
     
         34 . The game controller of  claim 28 , further comprising a touch sensor configured to track how the user is holding the controller, wherein the touch sensor is further configured to communicate touch sensing information to the computer. 
     
     
         35 . The game controller of  claim 34 , wherein the touch sensor is configured to track where and/or with how many hands the user is holding the controller. 
     
     
         36 . A game controller comprising:
 a body having a handle adapted to be grasped by a user;   a trigger coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user's finger;   a processor within the body and configured to receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated by the user and to receive a pad signal from the directional-pad control, the processor configured to communicate with a computer running a software program; and   a trigger actuator coupled to the trigger, the trigger actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the trigger in response to receiving a control signal from the processor, wherein the trigger actuator is configured to output a resistive force toward a neutral position of the trigger.   
     
     
         37 . The game controller of  claim 36 , wherein the resistive force is varied depending on the control signal received from the processor. 
     
     
         38 . The game controller of  claim 37 , wherein the resistive force is varied based on selections made by the user. 
     
     
         39 . The game controller of  claim 36 , further comprising a body actuator coupled to the body, wherein the body actuator is configured to output a haptic effect to at least a portion of the body in response to receiving a control signal from the processor 
     
     
         40 . A game system comprising:
 a computer configured to operate a software program; and   a controller including;
 a body having a handle adapted to be grasped by a user, 
 a trigger coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user's finger, 
 a directional-pad control coupled to the body adapted to be operated by the user, 
 a processor within the body and configured to receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated by the user and to receive a pad signal from the directional-pad control, the processor configured to communicate with the computer, and 
 an actuator coupled to the body, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the body in response to receiving a control signal from the processor. 
   
     
     
         41 . The game controller of  claim 40 , further comprising a position sensor coupled to the body, the position sensor configured to track the position and/or orientation of the controller and provide sensor signals to the processor and/or the computer regarding the position of the controller. 
     
     
         42 . The game controller of  claim 41 , wherein the position sensor is an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         43 . The game controller of  claim 41 , wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of a character of the user in the software program. 
     
     
         44 . The game controller of  claim 41 , wherein the sensor signals from the position sensor are configured to be used by the processor and/or the computer to adjust the position and/or orientation of an object held by a character of the user in the software program. 
     
     
         45 . The game controller of  claim 40 , wherein the directional-pad control is configured to operate various features during game play. 
     
     
         46 . The game controller of  claim 40 , further comprising a touch sensor configured to track how the user is holding the controller, wherein the touch sensor is further configured to communicate touch sensing information to the computer. 
     
     
         47 . The game controller of  claim 46 , wherein the touch sensor is configured to track where and/or with how many hands the user is holding the controller.