Multi-player game controller system with combinable hand-held game controllers

A multi-player game controller system comprising:

• a first hand-held game controller including;
• a first game controller housing;
• a first input control attached to the first game controller housing, the first input control being configured to generate and wirelessly transmit a first input control signal in response to interaction with a first user;
• and
• an infrared light source;
• a second hand-held game controller, the first and second hand-held game controllers having engagement states of an engaged state and an unengaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being in close physical proximity to each other when in the engaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being independently movable in relation to each other when in the unengaged state, the second hand-held game controller including;
• a second game controller housing;
• and
• a second input control attached to the second game controller housing, the second input control being configured to generate a second input control signal in response to interaction with a second user;
• and
• an infrared light detector sized and configured to detect infrared light from the infrared light source with the first and second hand-held game controllers being in the engaged state;
• a transmitter in electrical communication with the infrared light detector and
• engagement circuitry configured to generate an engagement signal when the first and second hand-held game controllers are in an engagement state, the engagement circuitry including the transmitter, the transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit the engagement signal upon detection of infrared light from the infrared light source by the infrared light detector.

A method of operating a multi-player game controller system, the method comprising:

• a) providing to a first user a first hand-held game controller including a first game controller housing and a first input control attached to the first game controller housing, the first input control being, configured to generate a first input control signal in response to interaction with the first user;
• b) providing to a second user a second hand-held game controller, the first and secondhand-held game controllers having engagement states of an engaged state and an unengaged state, the first and second game controllers being in fixed physical relation to each other with respect to at least one degree of freedom when in the engaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being independently movable in relation to each other when in the unengaged state, the second hand-held game controller including a second game controller housing and a second input control attached to the second game controller housing, the second input control being configured to generate a second input control signal in response to interaction with the second user;
• and
• c) moving the first and second hand-held game controllers into the engaged state;
• d) generating an engagement signal when the first and second hand-held game controllers are in an engagement state;
• and
• f) generating a first input control signal in response to interaction with the first user and the first hand-held game controller with the first and second hand-held game controllers in the engaged state and generating a second input control signal in response to interaction with the second user and the second hand-held game controller with the first and second hand-held game controllers in the engaged state while the first user physically interacts with the first hand-held game controller and the second user physically interacts with the second hand-held game controller.

A method of operating a multi-player game controller system, the method comprising:

• a) providing to a first user a first hand-held game controller including a first game controller housing and a first input control attached to the first game controller housing, the first input control being configured to generate a first input control signal in response to interaction with the first user;
• b) providing to a second user a second hand-held game controller, the first and second hand-held game controllers having engagement states of an engaged state and an unengaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being in close proximity to each other when in the engaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being independently movable in relation to each other when in the unengaged state, the second hand-held game controller including a second game controller housing and a second input control attached to the second game controller housing, the second input control being configured to generate a second input control signal in response to interaction with the second user;
• and
• c) moving the first and second hand-held game controllers into the engaged state;
• d) generating an engagement signal when the first and second hand-held game controllers are in an engagement state;
• and
• f) generating a first input control signal in response to interaction with the first user and the first hand-held game controller with the first and second hand-held game controllers in the engaged state and generating a second input control signal in response to interaction with the second user and the second hand-held game controller with the first and second hand-held game controllers in the engaged state while the first user physically interacts with the first hand-held game controller and the second user physically interacts with the second hand-held game controller.

A multi-player game controller system comprising:

• a first hand-held game controller including;
• a first game controller housing;
• a first input control attached to the first game controller housing, the first input control being configured to generate a first input control signal in response to interaction with a first user;
• and
• a first magnet;
• a second hand-held game controller, the first and second hand-held game controllers having engagement states of an engaged state and an unengaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being in fixed physical relation to each other with respect to at least one degree of freedom when in the engaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being independently movable in relation to each other when in the unengaged state, the second hand-held game controller including;
• a second game controller housing;
• a second input control attached to the second game controller housing, the second input control being configured to generate a second input control signal in response to interaction with a second user;
• and
• a second magnet the first and second magnets are configured to magnetically repulse each other with the first and second hand-held game controllers being in the engaged state;
• and
• engagement circuitry configured to generate an engagement signal in response to the first and second hand-held game controllers being in an engagement state.