Electronic device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device, such as an electronic gaming device with which a user can interact to control at least one aspect of the same such as playing a game. The interaction is achieved via an array of sensors on or adjacent to at least one surface of the device and the selective placement of the users fingers on the surface at or adjacent to one or a plurality of the sensors in a designated sequence.

1 . An electronic game device, said device having a display screen for depicting a particular state of interaction with the device, means to allow a game or games to be played using the device, a power source to allow the device to be operable, and control means to allow user interaction with the device, and wherein the control means includes one, or an array of, sensors, the location of which is/are identifiable on at least one surface of the device wherein user interaction with the device is achieved via activation of at least one sensor at an identifiable location to generate a control signal for the device in a particular manner determined by the particular sensor or sequence of sensors activated by the user.  
   
   
       2 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the sensors are arranged at or near a first external surface of the device in an identified configuration.  
   
   
       3 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the sensors are masked from the external surface by a covering layer in order to protect the same from damage but are provided sufficiently close enough to the external surface so as to allow detection or the presence of a persons finger to be achieved by the sensors.  
   
   
       4 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the configuration is selected so as to allow one finger of a user's hand to be able to reach each of the sensors in the array when the device is being held in the hand.  
   
   
       5 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein user interaction with the device is achieved by the selective placement of a user's finger on or in the vicinity of, the sensor locations.  
   
   
       6 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided an integrated circuit which allows a particular game or games to he provided for play on the device and an integrated circuit which allows detection and control of the sensor operation and the two integrated circuits are linked by control circuitry to allow the sensor and game operation to be controlled and integrated.  
   
   
       7 . A device according to  claim 6  wherein there is provided a means in the Integrated Circuit for the at least one sensor which detects the capacitance at the sensor.  
   
   
       8 . A device according to  claim 6 , wherein the capacitance detected changes if a person's finger is placed on or in proximity to the particular sensor.  
   
   
       9 . A device according to  claim 8  wherein the detected change is attributed to a particular one of the plurality of sensors.  
   
   
       10 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein the user can use a stylus which is held in the hand and which is placed on particular locations with respect to the sensor array to cause a change in capacitance.  
   
   
       11 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the interaction with the device is achieved via one of the sensors in an array.  
   
   
       12 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the interaction with the device is achieved via sequential activation of the sensors in the array by controlled movement of the user's finger to particular sensor locations and different sequences of contact with the sensors result in different interaction with the device being achieved.  
   
   
       13 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the interaction with the device is used to control the playing of a particular game and/or the selection of a particular game from a range of games.  
   
   
       14 . A device according to clam  1  wherein the device includes further control means which may be actuated using buttons, keys or switches to allow other functions to be controlled.  
   
   
       15 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the power source is either or both of one or more batteries, or a mains power supply.  
   
   
       16 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein software which allows the playing of the game is integrated within the device.  
   
   
       17 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the software which allows the playing of a game is provided in a cartridge which can be selectively inserted into the device.  
   
   
       18 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the device is hand held and can be held in one hand and interaction with the sensors can be achieved with the same hand.  
   
   
       19 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the game which is played using the device is in the form of training and controlling the activities of a virtual companion.  
   
   
       20 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the particular sensor or sequence of sensor activations which are required to be followed by the user to generate a particular control signal is displayed on the display screen to allow the user to follow the display and activate the sensor or sensor depicted.  
   
   
       21 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the person using the device can determine a particular sensor activation or sequence of sensor activations and then allocate said activation(s) to a particular function which is to be performed by the device.  
   
   
       22 . A device according to  claim 21  wherein the sensor or sequence of sensor activations is stored in a memory in the device such that when the same is subsequently generated by the person, the designated function is performed by the device automatically.  
   
   
       23 . An electronic game device, said device having a display screen for depicting a particular state of interaction with the device, at least one integrated circuit to allow a game or games to be played using the device, a power source to allow the device to be operable and control means to allow user interaction with the device, and wherein the control means includes one, or an array of, sensors, the location of which is/are identifiable on at least one surface of the device so as to allow user interaction via at least one sensor at an identifiable location with the device to control the game which includes controlling the activity of a virtual companion depicted on the display screen.  
   
   
       24 . A device according to  claim 23  wherein the virtual companion is depicted as a pet animal.  
   
   
       25 . An electronic game device, said device having a display screen for depicting a particular state of interaction with the device, means to allow a game or games to be played using the device, a power source to allow the device to be operable and control means to allow user interaction with the device and wherein the device is provided to be held in one hand and control of the same is achieved by movement of a finger of the hand placed selectively with respect to one or a plurality of sensor control means provided on or adjacent at least one surface of the device.  
   
   
       26 . A device according to  claim 25  wherein the sensors are provided on the same surface as the display screen.  
   
   
       27 . An electronic device, said device having means for indicating a particular state of interaction with the device, a power source to allow the device to be operable and control means to allow user interaction with the device, and wherein the user interacts with the control mean via one, or an array of, sensors on the device and the user selectively places a finger or fingers in close proximity to the location of one sensor or a plurality of the sensors in sequence so as to define a control signal, said control signal used by the device to provide a change in condition of the device, if the control signal is recognised as one of a number of predefined control signals.  
   
   
       28 . A device according to  claim 27  wherein if the control signal is not recognised as being one of the predefined signals an indication is generated to the user.  
   
   
       29 . A device according to  claim 27  wherein the means for indicating the state of interaction is a display screen.  
   
   
       30 . A device according to  claim 27  wherein the device allows games to be played thereon and the user can interact with the games playing via the one or more sensors.  
   
   
       31 . A device according to  claim 27  wherein only one finger is required to be selectively placed with regard to the one or more sensors.  
   
   
       32 . A device according to  claim 27  wherein the location of the sensor(s) is/are identifiable on at least one surface of the device, although the sensors themselves may be offset behind the external surface.  
   
   
       33 . A method of interacting with an electronic game device, said device having a display screen for depicting a particular state of interaction with the device, means to allow a game or games to be played using the device, a power source to allow the device to be operable and control means to allow user interaction with the device, and wherein the user interacts with the control mean which includes one, or an array of, sensors on the device and the user places a finger or fingers in close proximity to the location of one or a plurality of the sensors in sequence so as to define a control signal, said control signal used by the device to provide a change in condition of the device, if the signal is recognised as one of a number of predefined signals.  
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein if the signal is not recognised as being one of the predefined signals an indication is generated to the user to cause them to retry.  
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein only one finger is required to be selectively placed with regard to the one or more sensors.  
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein the location of the sensor(s) is/are identifiable on at least one surface of the device, although the sensors themselves may be offset behind the external surface.