Gesture controlled game screen navigation

Abstract

A game controller, such as a microphone controller, incorporates motion sensors that are configured to detect gestures performed by a user of the game controller. The gestures can be used to navigate and perform actions in a graphic user interface that a game console employs to provide a consistent user experience when navigating to different media types available on the game console. In this way, the game controller avoids the need to use a separate gamepad-type controller to navigate the graphic user interface, while also avoiding the need to incorporate additional buttons. As a result, the sense of realism and the overall gaming experience may be enhanced.

1 . A method for using a game controller to navigate a graphic user interface presented by a video game console to a user, the method comprising:
 detecting a motion of the game controller;   recognizing the detected motion as a gesture;   determining an operational mode in which the game controller is operating;   if the game controller is operating in a first operational mode, executing in the graphic user interface a navigation command corresponding to the recognized gesture; and   if the game controller is operating in a second operational mode, performing in the graphic user interface an action corresponding to the recognized gesture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising switching the operation of the game controller between the first operational mode and the second operational mode in response to at least one of actuation of a button on the game controller, recognizing the detected motion as a modifier gesture, and a command received by the game controller from the video game console. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation command comprises at least one of an UP command, a DOWN command, a LEFT command, and a RIGHT command. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action comprises at least one of an ENTER action, a BACK action, an ESCAPE action, and a START action. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using the executed navigation command to select a game; and   using the performed action to launch the selected game.   
     
     
         6 . A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
 detecting a motion of a game controller;   recognizing the detected motion as a gesture;   determining an operational mode in which the game controller;   if the game controller is operating in a first operational mode, executing in a graphic user interface a navigation command corresponding to the recognized gesture; and   if the game controller is operating in a second operational mode, performing in the graphic user interface an action corresponding to the recognized gesture.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores further computer-executable instructions for switching the operation of the game controller between the first operational mode and the second operational mode in response to at least one of actuation of a button on the game controller, recognizing the detected motion as a modifier gesture, and a command received by the game controller from the video game console. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the navigation command comprises at least one of an UP command, a DOWN command, a LEFT command, and a RIGHT command. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the action comprises at least one of an ENTER action, a BACK action, an ESCAPE action, and a START action. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores further computer-executable instructions for:
 using the executed navigation command to select a game; and   using the performed action to launch the selected game.   
     
     
         11 . A game controller for use with a video game console, the game controller comprising:
 a microcontroller in electrical communication with at least one motion sensor configured to detect motion of the game controller, wherein at least one of the microcontroller and the video game console is configured to recognize the detected motion as a gesture,   wherein if the game controller is operating in a first operational mode, the recognized gesture is mapped to a navigation command that is executed in a graphic user interface presented by the video game console to a user, and   wherein if the game controller is operating in a second operational mode, the recognized gesture is mapped to an action that is performed in the graphic user interface.   
     
     
         12 . The game controller of  claim 11 , further comprising the at least one motion sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The game controller of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one motion sensor is configured to generate motion data, the game controller is configured to output motion data to the video game console, and the video game console is configured to convert the motion data to the recognized gesture. 
     
     
         14 . The game controller of  claim 11 , further comprising a modifier button in electrical communication with the microcontroller and configured to switch the game controller between the first operational mode and the second operational mode when the modifier button is actuated. 
     
     
         15 . The game controller of  claim 11 , wherein the operation of the game controller is switched between the first operational mode and the second operational mode in response to the microcontroller recognizing the detected motion as a modifier gesture. 
     
     
         16 . The game controller of  claim 11 , wherein the navigation command comprises at least one of an UP command, a DOWN command, a LEFT command, and a RIGHT command. 
     
     
         17 . The game controller of  claim 11 , wherein the action comprises at least one of an ENTER action, a BACK action, an ESCAPE action, and a START action. 
     
     
         18 . The game controller of  claim 11 , further comprising a transducer configured to receive an acoustic input and generate a signal based on the acoustic input. 
     
     
         19 . The game controller of  claim 11 , wherein the game controller is configured to activate when the at least one motion sensor detects motion of the game controller. 
     
     
         20 . The game controller of  claim 11 , wherein the game controller comprises at least one of an exercise controller configured to be worn by the user, a pointing controller, and a sports controller.