"Improved physio-interactive computer game controller"

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2006903956 filed on 21 July 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an improved physio-interactive computer game controller.

Background of the Invention

With its growth and popularity across a wide age group, home computer gaming is now a major domestic pastime. A typical home computer game system includes a computer containing the main central processing unit or CPU, a visual display unit VDU on which the game being played is displayed and some form of interactive unit or game control means such as a keyboard, joystick or joy pad enabling a player or players to react to and influence events during the course of the game. The control means have typically been connected to the CPU by wires although some "state of the art" systems incorporate wireless links. Typically the CPU will form part of a dedicated computer game console and a domestic television would be used as the VDU.

Although computer gaming systems have increased markedly in speed, sophistication and graphics capabilities over the years, despite many improvements in game controllers, playing any game on a computer essentially remains a sedentary activity. While playing some games players may be able to use the hands and feet, such as one playing a driving simulation game, generally when playing other games players generally only use their hands so while playing a computer game may be involved, and may be mentally stimulating, playing of the game does not result in a great deal of physical involvement or activity by the player.

Children in particular are keen players of computer games and although in the past computer games have tended to be more popular with older children and teenagers, many children are now becoming interested in computer games at an early age. The amount of time children and teenagers spend playing computer games is recognised as being a problem by many parents and also by health experts who appreciate that physical activities involving physical exercise tend to be healthier for children than

sedentary activities such as playing computer games, watching television and the like. This is compounded by the growing recognition of an increased tendency for children, even very young children, to be overweight and even obese. Whilst children's diets, particularly the consumption of junk foods is a major cause of obesity, lack of exercise is recognised as being a significant contributing factor. Recent reports by experts indicate that children should be undertaking moderate to vigorous exercise for at least two hours a day and that any more than two hours of sedentary activity such as playing computer games or watching television is harmful.

However, whilst parents recognise that children should be getting more exercise for the good of their health, they also recognise that it is generally safer for children to be at home playing computer games than outside playing in a public area such as a park or the like where supervision is required to ensure the child's safety. This problem has been recognised in International Patent Application No PCT/AU2003/000754 which discloses a computer game controller in which a player is suspended in a chair, harness or the like and has to physically move in order to control action in the computer game. Elastic straps are provided for increasing the resistance to movement or turning of the harness or chair therefore providing increased resistance to movement of the player and substantially increasing the exercise value of playing a computer game.

PCT/AU2006/00616 discloses a game controller which incorporates improvements to and novel developments of the controller disclosed in PCT/AU2003/000754.

However both the above computer game controllers are relatively bulky, and relatively expensive to manufacture compared with a typical hand held controller. While it is unrealistic to expect that a whole body physio-interactive computer game controller could be produced for the cost of a simple hand held controller, it would be desirable to provide a less complex and therefore less expensive controller but which still provided the exercise benefits described in the earlier PCT applications. This would allow more widespread use of physio-interactive controllers and provide exercise benefits for more games playing children and teenagers, and indeed adults. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Summary of the Invention

In a first broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a controller means for controlling a computer game, the controller means comprising:- a dish or the like having a curved exterior such that the dish may be tilted from side to side and/or tilted forwards and backwards when resting on a generally planar surface, the dish further defining an interior; a seat defined in or above the interior of the dish; a fixed control means that may be grasped by a person sitting in the dish; means for measuring indications of the degree of tilting or rocking of the dish on the planar surface; means for resisting movement of the dish; and processor means for converting those measured indications into control signals for input into a computer for playing a computer game.

In use, the controller means may be substituted for the standard joystick, joypad or other control means of a computer game console such as an "X-Box", "PLAYSTATION" or the like. Inputs to the control means caused by movement of the seat are input into the computer game console to control the movement of a sprite or multiple independent sprites such as vehicles or characters in a computer game. Thus movement of the player controls the sprite or sprites in the computer game. The control means may operate in a similar manner to a joystick in which movement of the game player backward and forwards, and side to side provides the normal forwards and backwards and side to side control functions of the joystick. These control means may affect the sprites' forward, backward, upwards or downwards or other movement. In a preferred embodiment, the seat is rotatably mounted on a support post which is fixed to the interior of the dish. Locking means for preventing relative rotation of the seat and post are also provided. A potentiometer is provided to record the rotation this may be input into the processor means for providing further inputs into the computer. Means may be provided for preventing tilting of the dish, such as legs which may be pivoted out of engagement with the planar surface when not required, or chocks or the like.

In this way the controller may provide input signals to control a sprite based either on a player rotating the seat, or tilting from side to side and back and forth. Further because the player is seated on the ground, it also is possible for them to cope with both tilting and rotation simultaneously.

To provide physio-interactivity, the controller preferably includes a frame which surrounds the dish, in use and to which it is connected via several stretchable, typically elastomeric, straps or the like. Four such straps are typically provided.

To provide resistance to rotational movement of the seat several such stretchable, straps may extend from the seat to a rim of the dish.

The means for measuring indications of the degree of tilting or rocking of the dish on the planar surface may include a support tray defining a ring of sensors which detect a circle of infrared emitting devices, such as LEDs extending around the lower part of the dish. Other sensors means may be used instead such as laser based distance detectors or wireless based position detection systems.

It is preferred that the centre of the exterior of the dish is flat to indicate to the player in use where the middle or "neutral" position of the controller is.

Brief Description of Drawings

A specific example of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a computer game controller; Figure 2 is a top view of the computer game controller of Figure 1; and Figure 3 illustrates some features of a dish of the controller, in isolation.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the drawings, a computer game controller generally indicated at 10 includes a square floor frame 12 having sides 14, 16 and front 18 and back 20 having a length of around one and half metres. The frame is made of metal tubing or any other suitable material. A control panel 22 is mounted adjacent the front 18 of the frame on two support legs 24 which extend up from two front corners of the frame, and two further support legs 26 which extend up from the sides of the frame. The control panel 22 includes handle bars 28, buttons and other controls, as desired. The control bar is fixed relative to the frame 12 by means of the support legs 24 and 26.

A circular tray 30 is fixed in the centre of the frame. The tray has a diameter of 50cm. The frame defines two diagonal cross members (not shown) which strengthen the frame and also support the tray 30 in position in the centre of the frame. Around the rim of the tray a ring or series of infra red sensors 32 are provided. Located on top of the tray 30 is a device defining a convex surface in the form of a shallow part-spherical dish 34. Although the exterior of the dish is part-spherical

in the described embodiment, it could have any suitable curved shape which allows it to tilt forwards and backwards and from side to side. Further the dish has a relatively small flat spot 35 in the centre of the exterior of the dish on which the dish rests when the dish is in the central or middle/neutral position as shown in the Figures. Located inside the dish 34 is a support post 36 or centre hub on top of which a seat 38 is attached via a rotational potentiometer 40. The seat 38 may be locked to prevent rotation relative to the support post, by locking means 41 such as a pin 41 that may extend into a recess 41a in the underside of the seat, or may be unlocked/free to allow rotation of the seat on the support post 36. The seat has a back 42, a seat portion 44 and foot pedals 46 (shown dashed in figure 1 as they are hidden by the dish) which depend down from the front of the seat portion.

Stretchable resistance straps 50 which are typically made of an elastomeric material such as elastic, extend from the rear of the seat to the edge/rim 52 of the dish and from each foot pedal 46 to the edge 52 of the dish as is best seen in Figure 2. Thus the seat 38 and pedals 46 are linked to the rim of the dish by four straps.

The rim 52 of the dish is separately connected at four spaced apart locations to the corners of the floor frame also by means of stretchable resistance straps 54.

A ring of infra-red transmitters 37 extends around the lower part of the exterior of the dish. The sensors measure the distance between themselves and the ring of sensors of the tray. The particular mechanism or devices for doing this is not critical and may utilise electric eyes, optical eyes, distance sensing lasers or any other suitable means for detecting side to side and front and rear tilting of the dish. In the described embodiment infra red transmitters and receivers/sensors are used. The signals from the sensor are fed into a processor in the form of a central processing unit (not shown) which provides control signals for input into a game console (not shown). It would be possible to provide the infrared sensors and transmitters all on the tray (or the dish) and rely on reflection from the dish, if the dish, for example, included a reflective surface 64 or were made from a reflective material. In use, a player will sit on the seat, grasp the handle bars and by rotating or rocking the body and moving the dish 34 can control a sprite such as a vehicle or character in a computer game played on the game console. There are three possible modes of play. In the first mode of play, the only movement permitted is rotation of the seat relative to the dish. This could be used for example in a driving game where rotation of the seat steers the vehicle. In this mode it is necessary to prevent rocking or tilting of the dish and this can be done using a plurality of chocks. It is also envisaged

that in one embodiment there will be a number, typically four legs 60 which are pivoted to the sides of the dish fold down to prevent movement of the dish for the first mode.

The second mode is pan and tilt in which the seat is locked to prevent rotation on the post and the player holding the control bars 28 for support rocks the dish from side to side or forward and back in a similar manner to a joystick in order to control the sprite.

In the rotational mode the inner straps 50 provide the resistance and in the pan and tilt mode the outer straps 54 provide the resistance to movement and physiotherapy benefits. In contrast with earlier physio-interactive control devices, it is also possible to allow a further mode of play in which rotation and pan and tilt is permitted. This is because by sitting the player at ground level in a dish which includes a flat spot for indicating when the dish is in a neutral or central position, it is possible for a player to cope with the two different modes of movement at the same time. The unit may be easily disassembled, taken apart and stored. The handle bars, controls and pedals will typically be all adjustable to suit any size player. No strength is required to operate the system as it is powered by the physically beneficial movement and balance of the computer game players own body.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.