Hybrid separable motion controller

1. A controller for interacting with a video game, comprising:

a first portion including a first handle, and a first geometric object defined at an end of the first handle;

a second portion including a second handle and a second geometric object defined at an end of the second handle;

wherein the first portion or the second portion includes a connection sensor for determining whether the controller is in a connected configuration defined by joining of the first portion and the second portion, or a disconnected configuration defined by non-joining of the first portion and the second portion; and

wherein the first geometric object and the second geometric object are positioned substantially adjacent to each other when the controller is in the connected configuration;

wherein the connected configuration triggers determination of an input value based on at least one internal motion sensor of the first portion or the second portion;

wherein the disconnected configuration triggers determination of the input value based on a combination of independently tracked locations of the first and second geometric objects.

2. The controller of claim 1 ,

wherein the first portion includes a first communications interface;

wherein the second portion includes a second communications interface that links to the first communications interface when the controller is in a connected configuration to define a communications pathway between the first portion and the second portion.

3. The controller of claim 1 ,

wherein the first geometric object includes a first illumination source for illuminating the first geometric object;

wherein the second geometric object includes a second illumination source for illuminating the second geometric object.

4. The controller of claim 3 , wherein the connection sensor triggers activation of the first and second illumination sources when the controller is determined to be in a disconnected configuration.

5. The controller of claim 3 ,

wherein the first illumination source includes a first LED;

wherein the second illumination source includes a second LED configured to emit a different color than the first LED.

6. The controller of claim 3 ,

wherein the first portion includes a first light controller for controlling the first illumination source; and

wherein the second portion includes a second light controller for controlling the second illumination source.

7. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the first portion and second portion each include at least one input mechanism selected from the following: a button, a joystick, a directional pad, a trigger, a touchpad, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer.

8. The controller of claim 7 , wherein the connection sensor triggers a change in an assignment of the input mechanism of the first portion or the second portion when a change between the connected configuration and the disconnected configuration is detected.

9. The controller of claim 1 ,

wherein the first portion includes a first magnet; and

wherein the second portion includes a second magnet for coupling to the first magnet when the controller is in the connected configuration.

10. The controller of claim 1 ,

wherein the first portion includes an alignment hole; and

wherein the second portion includes an alignment pin for interfacing with the alignment hole when the controller is in the connected configuration.

11. The controller of claim 1 ,

wherein first portion includes a third geometric object defined at an end of the first handle opposite that of the first geometric object;

wherein the second portion includes a fourth geometric object defined at an end of the second handle opposite that of the second geometric object.

12. The controller of claim 11 ,

wherein the third geometric object includes a first illumination source for illuminating the third geometric object;

wherein the fourth geometric object includes a second illumination source for illuminating the fourth geometric object.

13. A controller for interfacing with a video game, comprising:

a first portion including a first handle, and a first geometric object defined at an end of the first handle, the first geometric object including a first illumination source for illuminating the first reference object;

a second portion including a second handle, and a second geometric object defined at an end of the second handle, the second geometric object including a second illumination source for illuminating the second geometric object;

wherein the first portion or the second portion includes a connection sensor for determining whether the controller is in a connected configuration defined by joining of the first portion and the second portion, or a disconnected configuration defined by non-joining of the first portion and the second portion;

wherein when the connection sensor determines the controller is in a connected configuration, at least one internal motion sensor of the first portion or the second portion defines an input value for the video game;

wherein when the connection sensor determines the controller is in a disconnected configuration, the input value is defined by a combination of independently tracked locations of the first and second geometric objects.

14. The controller of claim 13 ,

wherein the first portion includes a first communications interface;

wherein the second portion includes a second communications interface that links to the first communications interface when the controller is in a connected configuration to define a communications pathway between the first portion and the second portion.

15. The controller of claim 13 , wherein the connection sensor triggers activation of the first and second illumination sources when the controller is determined to be in a disconnected configuration.

16. The controller of claim 13 ,

wherein the first illumination source is configured to emit a first color;

wherein the second illumination source is configured to emit a second color different than the first color.

17. A controller for interfacing with a video game, comprising:

a first portion including a first handle, and a first geometric object defined at an end of the first handle, the first geometric object including a first illumination source for illuminating the first geometric object;

a second portion including a second handle, and a second geometric object defined at an end of the second handle, the second geometric object including a second illumination source for illuminating the second geometric object;

wherein the first portion or the second portion includes a connection sensor for determining whether the controller is in a connected configuration defined by joining of the first portion and the second portion, or a disconnected configuration defined by non-joining of the first portion and the second portion;

wherein the first portion includes a first light controller for controlling the first illumination source to emit a first color; and

wherein the second portion includes a second light controller for controlling the second illumination source to emit a second color different than the first color;

wherein the connection sensor triggers a change in an assignment of an input mechanism of the first portion or the second portion when a change between the connected configuration and the disconnected configuration is detected.

18. The controller of claim 17 , wherein the connection sensor triggers activation of the first and second illumination sources when the controller is determined to be in a disconnected configuration.

19. The controller of claim 17 ,

wherein first portion includes a third geometric object defined at an end of the first handle opposite that of the first geometric object, the third geometric object including a third illumination source for illuminating the third geometric object;

wherein the second portion includes a fourth geometric object defined at an end of the second handle opposite that of the second geometric object, the fourth geometric object including a fourth illumination source for illuminating the fourth geometric object.

20. A controller for interacting with a video game, comprising:

a first portion including a first handle, and a first object defined at an end of the first handle;

a second portion including a second handle, and a second object defined at an end of the second handle;

wherein the first portion or the second portion includes a connection sensor for determining whether the controller is in a connected configuration defined by joining of the first portion and the second portion, or a disconnected configuration defined by non-joining of the first portion and the second portion; and

wherein the first object and the second object are positioned substantially adjacent to each other when the controller is in the connected configuration;

wherein the first object includes a first illumination source for illuminating the first object;

wherein the second object includes a second illumination source for illuminating the second object;

wherein the connection sensor triggers activation of the first and second illumination sources when the controller is determined to be in a disconnected configuration;

wherein the connection sensor triggers a change in input values used by the first portion or the second portion when a change between the connected configuration and the disconnected configuration is detected.

21. The controller of claim 20 ,

wherein the first illumination source is a first LED;

wherein the second illumination source is a second LED.