Non Impact Video Game Controller for Dancing Games

Abstract

A video game controller for home video game systems is situated between a player's feet and is used to detect positions outside the footprint of the controller. The controller transmits the position data to the video game system and enables game play. In dance games, the controller detects dance steps when the player dances around the controller. A signal is transmitted from locations at the perimeter of the controller, reflected by the player's foot, and then received back at the controller. In a preferred embodiment the location is detected as a function of the time the signal is transmitted/received and by the matrix of signals received. Modulation of the transmission and reception minimizes detection of noise and distant reflections and therefore minimizes or eliminates false position detection.

1 . A game controller comprising:
 a platform where a game player may stand from time to time,   the platform comprising a perimeter, the player's feet positioned around the perimeter of the central pad during game play; and   two or more position detection units, each position detection unit located at the perimeter of the pad,   each position detection unit comprising a first and a second group of illumination chambers, the first group spaced apart from the second group,   each position detection unit further comprising an optical receiver between the first and the second group,   wherein the intersection of a signal emitted from the first and group and a signal emitted from the second group defines a location of player's foot.   
     
     
         2 . The game controller of  claim 1 , wherein the signals emitted from the first and second group are reflected off the player and received by the optical receiver. 
     
     
         3 . The game controller of  claim 1 , wherein within a detection unit, each chamber of each of the groups of illumination chambers emits a signal at a time different than the other chambers of the unit. 
     
     
         4 . The game controller of  claim 3 , wherein the location is determined as a function of the time of a received signal. 
     
     
         5 . The game controller of  claim 4 , wherein the time of the received signal correlates with the originating chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The game controller of  claim 1 , wherein predefined intersections define discrete locations for use in a game controlled by the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The game controller of  claim 6 , wherein if a first and second signal are received at an intersection other than a predefined intersection a location is not detected. 
     
     
         8 . An optical position detection unit for use in a game controller, comprising:
 a first plurality of optical emitters located at a first region of the unit;   a second plurality of optical emitters located at a second region of the unit; and   an optical receiver located at a third region of the unit, the third region located between the first and second regions,   wherein signals emitted from each emitter of the first and second pluralities are distributed in time and received by the receiver,   and wherein a position to be detected is uniquely defined by the intersection of a signal emitted from the first plurality and a signal emitted from the second plurality.   
     
     
         9 . The unit of  claim 8 , wherein the first plurality comprises three emitters, and the second plurality comprises three emitters, all of said emitters transmitting signals detected by the optical receiver. 
     
     
         10 . The unit of  claim 9 , wherein of a potential total number of intersections of signals emitted by the first and second plurality, less than the total number of intersections are used to uniquely define user positions. 
     
     
         11 . The unit of  claim 8 , wherein a position to be detected is predefined by the intersection of a pair of emitters, the pair comprising one of the first plurality and one of the second plurality of emitters. 
     
     
         12 . The unit of  claim 11 , wherein signals received from pairs of emitters not predefined to indicate a user position are ignored by the controller, thereby minimizing the impact from unwanted reflections. 
     
     
         13 . The unit of  claim 8 , wherein the game controller comprises a bottom surface in contact with a room floor when the controller is in use, and wherein the emitters of the plurality are angled toward the floor. 
     
     
         14 . The unit of  claim 13 , wherein a signal emitted from the angled emitters strikes the floor within about 1.5 feet from the controller, thereby minimizing reflections from objects located more than about 1.5 feet from the controller. 
     
     
         15 . A method of optically detecting the position of a foot of a user of a game controller, the method comprising:
 transmitting a first signal from a transducer of a first group of transducers located at a first area of the controller;   receiving the first signal at a detector during a first time period, the first signal reflected by the foot to the detector;   transmitting a second signal from a transducer of a second group of transducers at a second area of the controller;   receiving the second signal at the detector during a second time period, the second signal reflected by the foot to the detector; and   determining, based on the time received, the position of the foot based on which transducers of the first and second group transmitted the first and second signals.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second time periods together comprise less time than the time the user's foot is in a given position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein transmitting a signal comprises transmitting a plurality of bursts. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein transmitting a burst of the plurality of bursts comprises transmitting a plurality of pulses. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing a pulse from the receiver for each burst received by the receiver, thereby minimizing ambient noise that the receiver may falsely interpret as a signal from one of the transducers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a pulse is provided from the receiver only if the burst received is above a threshold energy level. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the transducers and the receiver respectively produce and detect signals in the infrared spectrum. 
     
     
         22 . A game controller, comprising:
 a platform; and   one or more position detection units, each position detection unit comprising:
 a plurality of light emitting transmitters each producing a beam of light; 
 a single receiver for receiving beams from the plurality of transmitters, 
 the plurality of transmitters and the receiver arranged so as to create a matrix of overlapping beams, 
 means for determining the position of a player in relation to the platform based upon the matrix of overlapping beams. 
   
     
     
         23 . The game controller of  claim 22  wherein the light is infrared light. 
     
     
         24 . The game controller of  claim 22 , wherein the platform is substantially rectangular and comprises four principle sides, a position detection unit positioned at each principle side of the controller in order to detect a position at each of the four principle sides of the platform. 
     
     
         25 . The game controller of  claim 22 , further comprising one or more game control buttons located at one or more corners of the platform. 
     
     
         26 . The game controller of  claim 25 , wherein the platform has a north-south and east-west axis, the one or more game control buttons activated by a strike of one of the buttons in either a northwest, northeast, southwest, or southeast direction. 
     
     
         27 . The came controller of  claim 25 , wherein the corners are clipped or rounded.