# US 8,788,348 B2 · Combination game controller and point of sale input device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,348 B2 - Document ID: US8788348B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/780,242 - Filed: 2013-02-28 - Published: 2013-07-11 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20 - Assignees: Wikipad, Inc. - Applicants: Wikipad, Inc. - Inventors: Matthew R. Joynes; James Bower; Daniel P. Dooley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788348B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/24: Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles - G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations} - G06F 3/0219: {Special purpose keyboards} - G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems - G06Q 20/327: {Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices} - G07F 7/0886: {the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction} - A63F 13/213: comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells (A63F13/219 takes precedence) - A63F 13/92: Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing - A63F 2300/1043: being characterized by constructional details - A63F 2300/204: the platform being a handheld device - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract An apparatus generally directed to a combination tablet computer and game controller. The tablet computer provides a plurality of sides, in which each of the sides are disposed between an electronic display screen and a back of the tablet computer. The computer game controller provides side structures adjacent to and confining the tablet computer on at least two opposing sides of the tablet computer. The computer game controller further preferably providing input module apertures and a camera. Preferably, each input module aperture selectively accepts either a game control module or a removable keyboard module. The input module apertures are preferably adjacent each of the at least two opposing sides of the tablet computer, and the camera communicates with each the electronic game controller and the tablet computer, the camera selectively captures either still or video images. The electronic game controller further provides an integrated transaction card input feature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: a tablet computer, the tablet computer providing a plurality of sides, each of the plurality of sides are disposed between an electronic display screen of the tablet computer and a back of the tablet computer; an input device in electronic communication with the tablet computer, the input device providing side structures, the side structures adjacent to and confining the tablet computer on at least two opposing sides but not more than three sides of the plurality of sides of the tablet computer, the input device further providing input module apertures, each input module aperture confines either a game control module else a removable full function keyboard module as selected by a user, wherein said input module apertures are adjacent each of the at least two opposing sides of the plurality of sides of the tablet computer, the input device further provides an integrated transaction input feature, and in which the input device is an electronic game controller; and a camera communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer, the camera capturing either still or video images as selected by the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, in which the integrated transaction card input feature provides a transaction card slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, in which the integrated transaction card input feature provides a transaction card reader. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, in which the transaction card reader is a magnetic strip reader. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, in which the transaction card reader is an optical character recognition reader. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, in which the transaction card reader is a barcode reader. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, in which the transaction card reader is an object recognition reader. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, in which the transaction card reader is a pattern recognition reader. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, in which the camera is a first camera, and further comprising a second camera, the first camera having a lens facing the user while the user is facing the electronic display screen, and the second camera having a lens fitting in a direction opposite that of the first camera. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, in which the second camera is the integrated transaction card input feature. ### Claim 11 An apparatus comprising: a tablet computer, the tablet computer providing a plurality of sides, each of the plurality of sides are disposed between an electronic display screen of the tablet computer and a back of the tablet computer; an input device provides a plurality of side structures, the side structures adjacent to and confining the tablet computer on at least two opposing sides but not more than three sides of the plurality of sides of the tablet computer; an application displayed on the electronic display screen of the tablet computer; and means for controlling a user's interaction with the application displayed on the electronic display screen of the tablet computer, wherein the displayed application is a point of sale transactional computer application. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, in which the means for a user's interaction with the application displayed on the electronic display screen of the tablet computer comprises: input module apertures provided by the input device, each input module aperture confines either a game control module else a removable full function keyboard module as selected by a user, wherein said input module apertures are adjacent each of the at least two opposing sides of the plurality of sides of the tablet computer; and a camera communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer, the camera capturing either still or video images as selected by the user, and in which the camera is responsive to at least the removable keyboard module when said removable keyboard module is operatively installed by the user within the input module aperture, and wherein the input device further provides an integrated transaction card input feature, and in which the input device is an electronic game controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus or claim 12, in which the removable keyboard module is a pair of touch responsive electronic display screens, each of the touch responsive electronic display screens having at least the functionality of the electronic display screen, includes the functionality of a mouse pad, and upon selection by the user presents virtual keys of a keyboard for information entry, and in which the integrated transaction card input feature provides a transaction card slot. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an auxiliary power source communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising as auxiliary data storage device communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer, and in which the integrated transaction card input feature provides a transaction card reader. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, in which the camera is a first camera, and further comprising a second camera, the first camera having a lens facing the user while the user is facing the pair of touch responsive electronic display screens, and the second camera having a lens fixing in a direction opposite that of the first camera, and wherein the transaction card reader is a magnetic strip reader. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, in which said first and second cameras are operational when the tablet computer is either attached or detached front the input device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an auxiliary power source communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer, the auxiliary power source is operational when the tablet computer is either attached or detached from the input device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an auxiliary data storage device communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer, the data storage device is operational when the tablet computer is either attached or detached from the input device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, in which said first and second cameras are fully functional when the tablet computer is either attached or detached from the input device, and further comprising: an auxiliary power source communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer, the auxiliary power source is fully functional when the tablet computer is either attached or detached from the input device; and an auxiliary data storage device communicating with each the input device and the tablet computer, the data storage device is operational when the tablet computer is either attached or detached from the input device.