Game controller capable of storing and executing stored sequences of user playing button settings

A method for operating a device which enables a user to control a processing unit for playing a game, comprising:

• detecting user requests for recording a sequence of one or more user input setting, said settings including at least one non-trivial input setting;
• and
• storing said sequence, said method further comprising:
• detecting whether any of the settings to be stored is an idle setting at the beginning or end of the sequence;
• and
• discarding said idle settings at the beginning or end of the sequence.

A user controller device for use with a game processing unit and for providing information to the unit for playing a game, said controller device comprising:

• input means having a plurality of inputs for detecting user requests for recording sequences of one or more user input settings, said settings including at least one non-trivial input setting;
• means for storing sequences STU1, . . . , STUn, where STUi=RQi(1), . . . , RQi(q), where sequence STUi has a mode defined by EPi, where i=1, . . . ,n;
• execution/program mode select means for selecting between the plurality of modes EP1, . . . ,EPn, where EPi defines the mode of STUi,
• execution means to provide to the said game processing unit at a time t.sub.k of the said user sampling times a request generated by integrating a current user input setting to a merged RQ.sub.j (d.sub.j)'s for j's in a set J of indices corresponding to STUj's in execution mode, and where d.sub.j is the duration EPj has been in execution mode;
• and
• a programming means to replace at a time t.sub.k of the said user sampling times RQ.sub.m (d.sub.m)'s by a request generated from combining a current user input setting to a merged RQ.sub.j (d.sub.j)'s, where m's are in a set M of indices corresponding to STUm's in program mode, and d.sub.m corresponds to the duration that EPm has been in program mode, and where j's are in a set J of indices corresponding to STUj's in execution mode, and d.sub.j corresponds to the duration that EPj has been in program mode.

A user controller device for use with a game processing unit and for providing information to the unit for playing a game, said controller device comprising:

• input means having a plurality of inputs for detecting user requests for recording sequences of one or more user input settings, said settings including at least one non-trivial input setting;
• means for storing sequences STU1, . . . , STUn, where STUi=RQi(1), . . . , RQi(q), where sequence STUi has a mode defined by EPi, where i=1, . . . ,n;
• execution/program mode select means for selecting between the plurality of modes EP1, . . . ,EPn, where EPi defines the mode of STUi,
• execution means to provide to the said game processing unit interface information based on a current user input setting and stored sequences STUj's, for j's in a set J of indices corresponding to STUj's in execution mode;
• and
• a programming means to replace the stored sequences STUm's based on a current user input setting, and stored sequences STUj's, where m's are in a set M of indices corresponding to STUm's in program mode, and where j's are in a set J of indices corresponding to STUj's in execution mode.