HAND-HELD GAMING DEVICE WITH TOUCH SENSITIVE PANEL(S) FOR GAMING INPUT

1 . A method for operating a game controller, the method comprising:

receiving touch pad input from at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller that has a plurality of touch sensitive elements, the touch pad input corresponding to the user's touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements;

at least partially processing the touch pad input by processing circuitry of the game controller; and

transmitting the at least partially processed touch pad input to a game console via a communications interface of the game controller for use as gaming input.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least partially processing the touch pad input by processing circuitry of the game controller is selected from the group consisting of:

determining hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determining changes in hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determining hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determining changes in hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determining foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determining changes in foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determining foot pressure based upon the touch pad input; and

determining changes in foot pressure based upon the touch pad input.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least partially processing the touch pad input by processing circuitry of the game controller comprises determining a sequence of user touches based upon the touch pad input.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the sequence of user touches is determined based upon user touches of differing portions of the touch sensitive pad.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing a baseline hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determining a current hand position based upon the touch pad input; and

wherein the gaming input is based upon a difference between the current hand position and the baseline hand position.

6 . The method of claim 1 :

further comprising receiving other touch pad input from at least one touch sensitive pad of a communicatively coupled secondary game controller;

wherein at least partially processing the touch pad input by processing circuitry of the game controller comprises processing both the touch pad input and the other touch pad input to produce combined processed touch pad input; and

wherein transmitting the at least partially processed touch pad input to the game console via the communications interface of the game controller comprises transmitting the combined processed touch pad input to the game console for use as gaming input.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring operation of the at least one touch sensitive pad to receive gaming input based upon at least one of:

a game being played;

at least one game parameter;

at least one user selection;

an orientation of the game controller; and

receipt of a touch sensitive pad configuration direction from the game console.

8 . A game controller comprising:

a communications interface;

at least one touch sensitive pad having a plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and to the at least one touch sensitive pad, the processing circuitry is operable to:

receive touch pad input from the at least one touch sensitive pad, the touch pad input corresponding to the user's touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements;

at least partially process the touch pad input; and

transmit the at least partially processed touch pad input to a game console via the communications interface for use as gaming input.

9 . The game controller of claim 8 , wherein in at least partially processing the touch pad input, the processing circuitry is operable to perform operations selected from the group consisting of:

determine hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determine changes in hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determine hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determine changes in hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determine foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determine changes in foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determine foot pressure based upon the touch pad input; and

determine changes in foot pressure based upon the touch pad input.

10 . The game controller of claim 8 , wherein in at least partially processing the touch pad input, the processing circuitry is operable to determine a sequence of user touches based upon the touch pad input.

11 . The game controller of claim 10 , wherein the sequence of user touches is determined based upon user touches of differing portions of the touch sensitive pad.

12 . The game controller of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

establish a baseline hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determine a current hand position based upon the touch pad input; and

wherein the gaming input is based upon a difference between the current hand position and the baseline hand position.

13 . The game controller of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

receive other touch pad input from at least one touch sensitive pad of a communicatively coupled secondary game controller;

process both the touch pad input and the other touch pad input to produce combined processed touch pad input; and

transmit the combined processed touch pad input to the game console for use as gaming input.

14 . The game controller of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to configure operation of the at least one touch sensitive pad to receive gaming input based upon at least one of:

a game being played;

at least one game parameter;

at least one user selection;

an orientation of the game controller; and

receipt of a touch sensitive pad configuration direction from the game console.

15 . A method for operating a game console, the method comprising:

receiving touch pad input from a game controller via a communications interface, the touch pad input captured by at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller that has a plurality of touch sensitive elements, the touch pad input corresponding to the user's touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

processing the touch pad input for use as gaming input.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein processing the touch pad input for use as gaming input is selected from the group consisting of:

determining hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determining changes in hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determining hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determining changes in hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determining foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determining changes in foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determining foot pressure based upon the touch pad input; and

determining changes in foot pressure based upon the touch pad input.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein processing the touch pad input for use as gaming input comprises determining a sequence of user touches based upon the touch pad input.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the sequence of user touches is determined based upon user touches of differing portions of the touch sensitive pad.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

establishing a baseline hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determining a current hand position based upon the touch pad input; and

wherein the gaming input is based upon a difference between the current hand position and the baseline hand position.

20 . The method of claim 15 :

receiving other touch pad input via the communications interface, the other touch pad input from at least one touch sensitive pad of a secondary game controller;

processing both the touch pad input and the other touch pad input to produce combined touch pad input; and

using the combined touch pad input as gaming input.

21 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining a configuration for the at least one touch sensitive pad to receive gaming input based upon at least one of:

a game being played;

at least one game parameter;

at least one user selection; and

transmitting the configuration of the at least one touch sensitive pad to receive gaming input to the game controller.

25 . A game console comprising:

a communications interface; and

processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface, the processing circuitry operable to:

receive touch pad input from a game controller via the communications interface, the touch pad input captured by at least one touch sensitive pad of the game controller that has a plurality of touch sensitive elements, the touch pad input corresponding to the user's touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

processing the touch pad input for use as gaming input.

26 . The game console of claim 25 , wherein in processing the touch pad input for use as gaming input, the processing circuitry is operable to perform operations selected from the group consisting of:

determine hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determine changes in hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determine hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determine changes in hand grip pressure based upon the touch pad input;

determine foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determine changes in foot position based upon the touch pad input;

determine foot pressure based upon the touch pad input; and

determine changes in foot pressure based upon the touch pad input.

27 . The game console of claim 25 , wherein in processing the touch pad input for use as gaming input the processing circuitry is operable to determine a sequence of user touches based upon the touch pad input.

28 . The game console of claim 27 , wherein the sequence of user touches is determined based upon user touches of differing portions of the touch sensitive pad.

29 . The game console of claim 25 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

establish a baseline hand position based upon the touch pad input;

determine a current hand position based upon the touch pad input; and

wherein the gaming input is based upon a difference between the current hand position and the baseline hand position.

30 . The game console of claim 25 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

receive other touch pad input via the communications interface, the other touch pad input from at least one touch sensitive pad of a secondary game controller;

process both the touch pad input and the other touch pad input to produce combined touch pad input; and

use the combined touch pad input as gaming input.

31 . The game console of claim 25 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

determine a configuration for the at least one touch sensitive pad to receive gaming input based upon at least one of:

a game being played;

at least one game parameter;

at least one user selection; and

transmit the configuration of the at least one touch sensitive pad to receive gaming input to the game controller.