Back to results
US 12,128,296 B2Granted
Dual sphere foot operated position-based controller
AssigneeSony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
InventorsGlenn Black, Celeste Bean, Sergey Bashkirov, Michael Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controller apparatus includes two or more balls having a size sufficient for a human to manipulate with a single foot. Three or more bearings support at least one of the balls from below and permit rotation with respect to at least two axes. One or more position encoders are disposed proximate a surface of each of the two or more balls. The encoders are configured to determine a rotational displacement of each of the two or more balls with respect to two or more axes.
Claims19
A controller apparatus, comprising:
- two or more balls having a size sufficient for a human to manipulate with a single foot;
- a support apparatus configured to support at least one of the two or more balls from below and restrict translation of the ball and permit rotation of at least one of the two or more the balls about its center with respect to at least two axes;
- one or more position encoders disposed proximate a surface of each of the two or more balls, wherein the one or more encoders are configured to determine a rotational displacement of each of the two or more balls with respect to two or more axes, wherein the measured rotational displacement of the two or more balls is an input to a computer application and a velocity difference in the measured rotational displacement of the two or more balls is applied as an input to the computer application.
A controller apparatus, comprising:
- two or more balls having a size sufficient for a human to manipulate with a single foot;
- a support apparatus configured to support at least one of the two or more balls from below and restrict translation of the ball and permit rotation of at least one of the two or more the balls about its center with respect to at least two axes,
- wherein at least one of the balls includes an internal cavity configured to hold a granular material or a fluid for adjusting the weight of the ball;
- one or more position encoders disposed proximate a surface of each of the two or more balls, wherein the one or more encoders are configured to determine a rotational displacement of each of the two or more balls with respect to two or more axes.
1 more element
A controller apparatus, comprising:
- two or more balls having a size sufficient for a human to manipulate with a single foot;
- a support apparatus configured to support at least one of the two or more balls from below and restrict translation of the ball and permit rotation of at least one of the two or more the balls about its center with respect to at least two axes,
- wherein at least one of the balls includes a ferromagnetic material inside of the ball and an electromagnet outside of the ball wherein the combination of ferromagnetic material and electromagnet is configured to reduce a velocity of rotation of the ball when the electromagnet is energized;
- one or more position encoders disposed proximate a surface of each of the two or more balls, wherein the one or more encoders are configured to determine a rotational displacement of each of the two or more balls with respect to two or more axes.
1 more element
A controller apparatus, comprising:
- two or more balls having a size sufficient for a human to manipulate with a single foot;
- a support apparatus configured to support at least one of the two or more balls from below and restrict translation of the ball and permit rotation of at least one of the two or more the balls about its center with respect to at least two axes;
- one or more position encoders disposed proximate a surface of each of the two or more balls, wherein the one or more encoders are configured to determine a rotational displacement of each of the two or more balls with respect to two or more axes;
- and
- an inertial measurement unit (IMU) coupled to at least one of the balls.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.