User input device, handheld controller and entertainment system
A user input device includes: a thumbstick; a housing that partially encloses a base of the thumbstick without contacting the base so as to form a clearance between at least a part of an inner surface of the housing and at least a part of the base; and a guide for guiding the motion of the thumbstick to follow one or more distinct directions when a position of the thumbstick relative to a neutral position thereof falls within a predetermined range of thumbstick positions, at least a part of the guide being disposed within the clearance, the guide including one or more sets of interlocking elements, each set of interlocking elements including: a pin disposed on one of the inner surface of the housing and the base, and a plurality of guiding elements disposed on the other of the inner surface of the housing and the base, the plurality of guiding elements being arranged so as to form one or more paths which the pin follows when the pin is engaged with the plurality of guiding elements, the one or more paths defining the one or more distinct directions.
1 . A user input device, comprising:
a thumbstick;
a housing that partially encloses a base of the thumbstick without contacting the base so as to form a clearance between at least a part of an inner surface of the housing and at least a part of the base; and
a guide for guiding the motion of the thumbstick to follow one or more distinct directions when a position of the thumbstick relative to a neutral position thereof falls within a predetermined range of thumbstick positions, at least a part of the guide being disposed within the clearance, the guide comprising one or more sets of interlocking elements, each set of interlocking elements comprising:
a pin disposed on one of the inner surface of the housing and the base, and
a plurality of guiding elements disposed on the other of the inner surface of the housing and the base, the plurality of guiding elements being arranged so as to form one or more paths which the pin follows when the pin is engaged with the plurality of guiding elements, the one or more paths defining the one or more distinct directions,
wherein at least one of the one or more sets of interlocking elements is configured such that the pin disengages from the plurality of guiding elements in response to
a force exerted on the thumbstick being equal to or exceeding a threshold force and
a direction of the force exerted on the thumbstick deviating from the one or more distinct directions.
2 . A user input device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one set of interlocking elements, the respective pin thereof, when engaged with the respective plurality of guiding elements thereof, is constrained to follow the one or more formed by the respective plurality of guiding elements thereof regardless of a magnitude and/or direction of a force exerted on the thumbstick.
3 . A user input device according to claim 1 , wherein, for each set of interlocking elements, the respective plurality of guiding elements thereof are disposed within a respective predetermined area of the other of the inner surface of the housing and the base, wherein a location and a geometry of the respective predetermined area defines a location and a geometry of at least a part of the predetermined range of thumbstick positions.
4 . A user input device according to claim 1 , wherein, for a given set of interlocking elements, the one or more paths formed by the respective plurality of guiding elements thereof comprise one or more predefined patterns.
5 . A user input device according to claim 4 , wherein one of the predefined patterns comprises a cross defining cardinal directions for the thumbstick to follow within the predetermined range of thumbstick position.
6 . A user input device according to claim 4 , wherein one of the predefined patterns comprises a saltire defining ordinal directions for the thumbstick to follow within the predetermined range of thumbstick position.
7 . A user input device according to claim 4 , wherein one or more of the predefined patterns correspond to thumbstick motions that are associated with a video game.
8 . A user input device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one set of interlocking elements, at least one of the pin thereof and the plurality of guiding elements thereof comprise a rounded or chamfered tip.
9 . A user input device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one set of interlocking elements, at least one of the pin thereof and the plurality of guiding elements thereof comprise one or more rounded or chamfered edges.
10 . The user input device according to claim 1 , wherein the respective pin and guiding elements are configured to elastically deform in response to the force exerted on the thumbstick being equal to or exceeding a threshold force.
11 . The user input device according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold force is a biasing force configured to act on the base of the thumbstick and maintain engagement between the respective pin and guiding elements.
12 . The user input device according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold force is a biasing force configured to act on the respective pin and maintain engagement between the pin and guiding elements.
13 . An apparatus, comprising:
a handheld controller, which includes one or more user input devices, each user input device comprising:
a thumbstick;
a housing that partially encloses a base of the thumbstick without contacting the base so as to form a clearance between at least a part of an inner surface of the housing and at least a part of the base; and
a guide for guiding the motion of the thumbstick to follow one or more distinct directions when a position of the thumbstick relative to a neutral position thereof falls within a predetermined range of thumbstick positions, at least a part of the guide being disposed within the clearance, the guide comprising one or more sets of interlocking elements, each set of interlocking elements comprising:
a pin disposed on one of the inner surface of the housing and the base, and
a plurality of guiding elements disposed on the other of the inner surface of the housing and the base, the plurality of guiding elements being arranged so as to form one or more paths which the pin follows when the pin is engaged with the plurality of guiding elements, the one or more paths defining the one or more distinct directions,
wherein at least one of the one or more sets of interlocking elements is configured such that the pin disengages from the plurality of guiding elements in response to
a force exerted on the thumbstick being equal to or exceeding a threshold force and
a direction of the force exerted on the thumbstick deviating from the one or more distinct directions.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein one or more of the user input devices are detachably connectable to the handheld controller.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising:
computing device operatively connected to the handheld controller,
wherein the handheld controller is configured to transmit one or more input signals to the computing device responsive to a given user input device's thumbstick position relative to the given user input device's neutral position.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising multiple different user input devices that are each detachably connectable to the handheld controller.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising multiple user input devices that are each detachably connectable to the handheld controller,
wherein each user input device is configured to constrain movement of the thumbstick to one or more respective paths defined by an interactive application executed on the computing device.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the respective pin and guiding elements are configured to elastically deform in response to the force exerted on the thumbstick being equal to or exceeding a threshold force.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the threshold force is a biasing force configured to act on the base of the thumbstick and maintain engagement between the respective pin and guiding elements.
20 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the threshold force is a biasing force configured to act on the respective pin and maintain engagement between the pin and guiding elements.