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 for simulating a gun comprising:
 a body having a handle;   a trigger coupled to the body;   a processor within the body configured to:   receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated,   determine a type of gun being simulated,   determine a haptic effect having at least one characteristic selected according to the type of gun being simulated, and   provide a control signal configured to cause the haptic effect; and   an actuator configured to output the haptic effect in response to receiving the control signal from the processor.   
     
     
         29 . The game controller of  claim 28 , wherein the actuator is configured to output the haptic effect to the trigger. 
     
     
         30 . The game controller of  claim 29 , wherein the haptic effect is a resistive force towards a neutral position of the trigger that depends on the type of gun being simulated. 
     
     
         31 . The game controller of  claim 29 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the haptic effect according to a distance that the trigger is activated depending on the type of gun being simulated. 
     
     
         32 . The game controller of  claim 28 , wherein the actuator is a temperature actuator, and the processor is further configured to regulate the temperature of the body via the temperature actuator according to an amount of times the trigger is activated over a set time period. 
     
     
         33 . The game controller of  claim 28 , wherein the body further includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, and the processor is further configured to regulate illumination of the body via the light emitting diodes according to an amount of times the trigger is activated over a set time period. 
     
     
         34 . The game controller of  claim 28 , wherein the actuator is located in the body and is configured to provide simulated recoil as the haptic effect according to the type of gun being simulated. 
     
     
         35 . The game controller of  claim 28 , further comprising at least one detachable component including a detachable component actuator, wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine a detachable component haptic effect having at least one characteristic selected according to the type of gun being simulated, and   provide a control signal configured to the detachable component actuator to cause the detachable component haptic effect   
     
     
         36 . The game controller of  claim 35 , wherein the detachable component haptic effect includes at least one of a recoil effect, a vibration effect, and an air jet effect. 
     
     
         37 . The game controller of  claim 28 , wherein the actuator includes an air jet and the haptic effect includes an air jet effect. 
     
     
         38 . The game controller of  claim 28 , further comprising a position sensor configured to detect a position and a movement of the game controller. 
     
     
         39 . The game controller of  claim 38 , wherein the processor is further configured to send sensor signals to a host computer, the sensor signals including at least the trigger signal and a position signal, and wherein the position signal includes information about game controller movement following trigger activation and is configured to influence a game outcome decision by the host computer. 
     
     
         40 . A gaming system comprising:
 a host computer configured to run a software game;   a game controller for simulating a gun, in communication with the host computer, the game controller comprising:   a body having a handle;   a trigger coupled to the body;   a processor within the body configured to:   receive a trigger signal from the trigger when the trigger is activated,   determine a type of gun being simulated, determine a haptic effect having at least one characteristic selected according to the type of gun being simulated, and   provide a control signal configured to cause the haptic effect;   an actuator configured to output the haptic effect in response to receiving the control signal from the processor; and   a position sensor configured to detect a position and a movement of the game controller.   
     
     
         41 . The gaming system of  claim 40 , wherein the processor is further configured to send sensor signals to the host computer, the sensor signals including at least the trigger signal and a position signal, and wherein the host computer is configured to use the position signal to determine an outcome of the trigger activation in the software game. 
     
     
         42 . The gaming system of  claim 41 , wherein the host computer is configured to use the position signal to control a trajectory of a bullet in the software game fired by the trigger activation. 
     
     
         43 . The gaming system of  claim 40 , wherein the processor is further configured to send sensor signals to the host computer, the sensor signals including at least a position signal, and
 wherein the host computer is configured to use the position signal to determine actions in the software game according to the type of gun being simulated.   
     
     
         44 . A method of using a game controller for simulating a gun, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, from a trigger coupled to a body of the game controller, a trigger signal when the trigger is activated;   determining a type of gun being simulated;   determining a haptic effect having at least one characteristic selected according to the type of gun being simulated;   providing a control signal to an actuator of the game controller configured to cause the haptic effect; and   outputting the haptic effect by the actuator.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising outputting the haptic effect to the trigger as a resistive force towards a neutral position of the trigger that depends on the type of gun being simulated. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising providing simulated recoil as the haptic effect according to the type of gun being simulated. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 detecting, by a position sensor, a position and movement of the game controller, and   sending sensor signals to a host computer, the sensor signals including at least the trigger signal and a position signal, wherein the position signal includes information about game controller movement following trigger activation and is configured to influence a game outcome decision by the host computer.