Driving game steering wheel simulation method and apparatus

1. A method of simulating a vehicle control comprising:

displaying an image of at least a portion of a virtual vehicle control device on a touch screen;

detecting positional change touch inputs provided to the touch screen;

converting said positional change touch inputs into rotational motion of said displayed virtual vehicle control device;

rotating the displayed virtual vehicle control device image by an amount and in a direction determined at least in part in response to the detected touch input positional changes, and said mapping; and

using said converted detected positional change touch inputs to control the movement of a displayed simulated vehicle on a simulated course.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said touch input is used to define an initial vector and a final vector relative to a predetermined point, and wherein said rotating comprises rotating said device image by an amount responsive to the angle between said initial vector and final vector.

3. The method of claim 1 further including selectively applying user assist in response to detection of said touch input within a predetermined zone on said touch screen.

4. The method of claim 1 further including contacting the touch screen with a stylus to provide said touch input.

5. The method of claim 1 further including contacting said touch screen with a wearable thumb pad to provide said touch input.

6. The method of claim 1 further including simulating vibration of said displayed device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said converting includes changing the scaling of said touch input depending at least in part on type of input device used to contact said touch screen.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said virtual vehicle control device comprises a steering wheel.

9. A vehicle simulation apparatus comprising:

a portable handheld housing including first display screen, a second display screen and at least one control input and a touch input;

a first graphics processing unit that displays an image of a simulated vehicle control on said first display;

a second graphics processing unit that displays an image of a simulated vehicle on said second display; and

a processor, coupled to said first and second graphics processing units and to said control input and said touch input, said processor changing said displayed image of said vehicle control in a predetermined manner by a predetermined amount responsive to positional change touch inputs and animating said simulated vehicle control thereby enabling the user to virtually manipulate and move said simulated vehicle control using said touch input by converting the positional change touch inputs into rotational motion of the simulated vehicle displayed, and applying a corresponding course correction to said simulated vehicle displayed on said second display.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said touch input comprises a touch screen, and said processor is adapted to receive said touch input and provide said display changes at least in part in response thereto.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for selectively providing vehicle control assist and blending said assist with said control input to generate said corresponding course correction.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said simulated control comprises a steering wheel.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said simulated control comprises a visual target.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said processor reduces course correction amount over time in response to detecting absence of a touch input.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said processor calculates a delta steering value based on scaled left/right movement of said touch input.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said processor calculates an angle that the simulated vehicle should be pointed to be aligned with a track.