Information processing system, controller apparatus, control method therefor, and program

1 . An information processing system comprising:

a controller apparatus that is operated by a user in a contact manner; and

an information processing apparatus configured to communicate with the controller apparatus, wherein

the controller apparatus is configured to work in an operation state of either a first state of receiving a user operation and transmitting information regarding the received user operation to the information processing apparatus or a second state of executing a predetermined process based on a user contact state, the second state being different from the first state,

wherein, while operating in the second state, the controller apparatus is configured to: i) generate a notification signal indicative of a position of the controller apparatus until an initial contact between the controller apparatus and a hand of the user is detected; and ii) transition to the first state in response to verifying a mounting state of the controller apparatus.

2 . A controller apparatus configured to communicate with an information processing apparatus, wherein

the controller apparatus is configured to work in an operation state of either a first state of receiving a user operation and transmitting information regarding the received user operation to the information processing apparatus or a second state of executing a predetermined process based on a user contact state, the second state being different from the first state,

wherein the controller apparatus is configured to transition to the second state based on receiving a wakeup signal from the information processing apparatus, and while operating in the second state, the controller apparatus is configured to: i) generate a notification signal indicative of a position of the controller apparatus until an initial contact between the controller apparatus and a hand of a user is detected; and ii) transition to the first state in response to verifying a mounting state of the controller apparatus.

3 . The controller apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a vibrator configured to generate a sound as the notification signal, wherein,

in the second state, the vibrator configured to generate the sound according to a command from the information processing apparatus until the initial contact is detected.

4 . The controller apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a spatial position displacement from a finger of the user, wherein,

when the sensor is configured to detect that the finger of the user is approaching the controller apparatus during the second state, the vibrator is controlled to generate the sound having at least one of a waveform or a vibration frequency that is different from a sound generated when the sensor does not detect that the finger of the user is approaching the controller apparatus.

5 . The controller apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a processor configured to predict whether or not the user will start an operation on a basis of the user contact state during the second state,

wherein the transitioning to the first state is based on the prediction indicating that the user will start the operation.

6 . The controller apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the controller apparatus is configured to be operated while being mounted on the hand of the user via a fixing tool,

the controller apparatus comprises a contact sensor configured to detect whether or not a finger of the user touches the controller apparatus, the contact sensor being disposed on a surface of the controller apparatus with which the finger of the user is in contact when the controller apparatus is mounted on the hand of the user, and

the prediction is based on a detection result obtained by the contact sensor.

7 . The controller apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein verifying the mounting state of the controller apparatus comprises measuring of a hand width.

8 . The controller apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the measuring of the hand width comprises:

detecting contact or proximity of a plurality of fingers via a plurality of first sensors arranged in a row along a grip section of the controller apparatus; and

determining a number of the first sensors configured to detect the contact or the proximity, wherein the mounting state is verified based on the number of the first sensors being greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

9 . The controller apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a plurality of second sensors arranged in a matrix on the grip section at a position different from the plurality of first sensors, the plurality of second sensors configured to detect a distance to the plurality of fingers of the user,

wherein verifying the mounting state is based on a detection result from the plurality of second sensors.

10 . The controller apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, in the second state, the controller apparatus is configured to operate a sensor at a detection sensitivity that is higher than a detection sensitivity used in the first state.

11 . The controller apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the notification signal comprises a vibration having a waveform that is modulated based on a distance between the hand and the controller apparatus.

12 . The controller apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller apparatus is configured to be fixed to the hand of the user by a fixing tool such that the controller apparatus remains in contact with a palm of the hand.

13 . A control method for a controller apparatus configured to communicate with an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

controlling the controller apparatus to work in an operation state of either a first state of receiving a user operation and transmitting information regarding the received user operation to the information processing apparatus or a second state of executing a predetermined process based on a user contact state, the second state being different from the first state;

wherein while operating in the second state,

i) generating a notification signal indicative of a position of the controller apparatus until an initial contact between the controller apparatus and a hand of a user is detected, and

ii) transitioning to the first state in response to verifying a mounting state of the controller apparatus.

14 . The control method according to claim 13 , wherein verifying the mounting state of the controller apparatus comprises measuring of a hand width.

15 . The control method according to claim 14 , wherein the measuring of the hand width comprises:

detecting contact or proximity of a plurality of fingers via a plurality of first sensors arranged in a row along a grip section of the controller apparatus; and

determining a number of the first sensors configured to detect the contact or the proximity, wherein the mounting state is verified based on the number of the first sensors being greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

16 . The control method according to claim 15 , wherein the controller apparatus comprises a plurality of second sensors arranged in a matrix on the grip section at a position different from the plurality of first sensors, the control method further comprising

detecting, by the plurality of second sensors, a distance to the plurality of fingers of the user,

wherein verifying the mounting state is based on a detection result from the plurality of second sensors.

17 . The control method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

operating, in the second state, a sensor at a detection sensitivity that is higher than a detection sensitivity used in the first state.

18 . The control method according to claim 13 , wherein the notification signal comprises a vibration having a waveform that is modulated based on a distance between the hand and the controller apparatus.

19 . The control method according to claim 13 , wherein the controller apparatus is configured to be fixed to the hand of the user by a fixing tool such that the controller apparatus remains in contact with a palm of the hand.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for causing a computer included in a controller apparatus to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:

controlling the controller apparatus to work in an operation state of either a first state of receiving a user operation and transmitting information regarding the received user operation to an information processing apparatus or a second state of executing a predetermined process based on a user contact state, the second state being different from the first state;

wherein, while operating in the second state,

i) generating a notification signal indicative of a position of the controller apparatus until an initial contact between the controller apparatus and a hand of a user is detected, and

ii) transitioning to the first state in response to verifying a mounting state of the controller apparatus.