Granted Patent B2

US 12,268,957 · App. 18/150,429 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Inventor: Jason Scott Morrison (Chadron, NE)

Assignee: Dell Products L.P.

A63F13/285A63F13/24G06F3/016

Abstract

Claims (93)

1. A directional pad for a controller, the directional pad comprising:

a shell that includes a top that has:

opposing upper and lower surfaces; and

a plurality of openings that each extend from the upper surface to the lower surface; and

a plurality of protrusions, each movable between:

a retracted state in which the protrusion is disposed at or below the upper surface of the top of the shell; and

a deployed state in which the protrusion extends through a respective one of the openings of the top of the shell such that at least a portion of the protrusion is disposed above the upper surface of the top of the shell; and

a plurality of actuators, each configured to move a respective one of the protrusions between the retracted and deployed states.

2. The directional pad of claim 1 , comprising a haptic body that includes:

the projections;

a central region that has opposing upper and lower surfaces, wherein the upper surface of the central region is coupled to the lower surface of the top of the shell; and

a plurality of fingers that each extend outwardly from the central region and have opposing upper and lower surfaces, wherein:

the upper surface of each of the fingers faces the lower surface of the top of the shell;

each of the fingers is pivotable relative to the central region between first and second positions; and

each of the protrusions of the haptic body projects upwardly from the upper surface of a respective one of the fingers such that the protrusion:

is in the retracted state when the finger is in the first position; and

is in the deployed state when the finger is in the second position.

3. The directional pad of claim 2 , wherein each of the actuators comprises a linear actuator having a shaft that:

is coupled to a respective one of the fingers of the haptic body; and

is linearly movable between first and second states such that the finger coupled to the shaft:

is in the first position when the shaft is in the first state; and

is in the second position when the shaft is in the second state.

4. The directional pad of claim 3 , wherein the shaft is coupled to the lower surface of a respective one of the fingers of the haptic body.

5. The directional pad of claim 3 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a latching solenoid.

6. The directional pad of claim 2 , wherein each of the fingers is integral with the central region of the haptic body.

7. The directional pad of claim 2 , comprising:

a capacitive touch sensor coupled to the haptic body such that the haptic body is disposed between the capacitive touch sensor and the top of the shell;

wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to measure a position at which an electrically-conductive object touches the upper surface of the top of the shell.

8. The directional pad of claim 1 , wherein:

the openings comprise eight or more openings;

the protrusions comprise eight or more protrusions; and

the actuators comprise eight or more actuators.

9. The directional pad of claim 8 , wherein:

the upper surface of the top of the shell has a circular planform; and

each of the openings is disposed closer to the periphery of the top than to a center of the top.

10. A controller comprising:

a body;

a plurality of buttons coupled to the body; and

a directional pad that is coupled to the body and comprises:

a shell that includes a top that has:

opposing upper and lower surfaces; and

a plurality of openings that each extend from the upper surface to the lower surface;

a plurality of protrusions, each movable between:

a retracted state in which the protrusion is disposed at or below the upper surface of the top of the shell; and

a deployed state in which the protrusion extends through a respective one of the openings of the top of the shell such that at least a portion of the protrusion is disposed above the upper surface of the top of the shell; and

a plurality of actuators, each configured to move a respective one of the protrusions between the retracted and deployed states.

11. The controller of claim 10 , wherein:

the body has a main portion disposed between first and second gripping portions, each of the gripping portions projecting rearwardly away from the main portion;

the directional pad is disposed:

closer to the first gripping portion than to the second gripping portion; and

closer to a front of the body than to a rearmost point of the first gripping portion; and

the buttons include four buttons that are each disposed:

closer to the second gripping portion than to the first gripping portion; and

closer to the front of the body than to a rearmost point of the second gripping portion.

12. The controller of claim 11 , comprising two thumbsticks, each:

coupled to the main portion of the body; and

disposed closer to a rear of the main portion of the body than to the front of the body.

13. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the directional pad comprises a haptic body that includes:

the protrusions;

a central region that has opposing upper and lower surfaces, wherein the upper surface of the central region is coupled to the lower surface of the top of the shell; and

a plurality of fingers that each extend outwardly from the central region and have opposing upper and lower surfaces, wherein:

the upper surface of each of the fingers faces the lower surface of the top of the shell;

each of the fingers is pivotable relative to the central region between first and second positions; and

each of the protrusions of the haptic body projects upwardly from the upper surface of a respective one of the fingers such that the protrusion:

is in the retracted state when the finger is in the first position; and

is in the deployed state when the finger is in the second position.

14. The controller of claim 13 , wherein each of the actuators comprises a linear actuator having a shaft that:

is coupled to a respective one of the fingers of the haptic body; and

is linearly movable between first and second states such that the finger coupled to the shaft:

is in the first position when the shaft is in the first state; and

is in the second position when the shaft is in the second state.

15. The controller of claim 14 , wherein the shaft is coupled to the lower surface of a respective one of the fingers of the haptic body.

16. The controller of claim 14 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a latching solenoid.

17. The controller of claim 13 , comprising:

a capacitive touch sensor coupled to the haptic body such that the haptic body is disposed between the capacitive touch sensor and the top of the shell;

wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to measure a position at which an electrically-conductive object touches the upper surface of the top of the shell.

18. The controller of claim 10 , wherein:

the openings comprise eight or more openings;

the protrusions comprise eight or more protrusions; and

the actuators comprise eight or more actuators.

19. The controller of claim 18 , wherein:

the upper surface of the top of the shell has a circular planform; and

each of the openings is disposed closer to the periphery of the top than to a center of the top.

20. A method comprising:

sending a signal to a controller that includes a directional pad coupled to a body of the controller, the directional pad comprising:

a shell that includes a top that has:

opposing upper and lower surfaces; and

a plurality of openings that each extend from the upper surface to the lower surface; and

a plurality of protrusions, each movable between:

a retracted state in which the protrusion is disposed at or below the upper surface of the top of the shell; and

a deployed state in which the protrusion extends through a respective one of the openings of the top of the shell such that at least a portion of the protrusion is disposed above the upper surface of the top of the shell; and

in response to the signal, moving at least a first one of the protrusions from the retracted state to the deployed state;

wherein when the first protrusion is moved to the deployed state, at least a second one of the protrusions is in the retracted state.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (17)