IP Library Granted Patent US 12,117,643
Granted Patent B2
US 12,117,643 · App. 18/546,851 · Granted Oct 15, 2024

Input device and control system

Inventors: Ryu Sannomiya (Tokyo, JP); Takeshi Igarashi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
G02B6/0068G02B6/0083G06F3/02A63F13/213A63F13/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,117,643
App. No.
18/546,851
Granted
Oct 15, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The number of light sources that emit light according to identification information regarding an input device is reduced. An input device ( 10 ) includes a first light source (S 1 ), a second light source (S 2 ), a first illumination part (E 1 ) that is illuminated by light from the first light source (S 1 ) in order to indicate identification information allocated to the input device, two second illumination parts (E 2 ) that are placed at positions different from a position of the first illumination part (E 1 ) and that are illuminated by light from the second light source in order to indicate the identification information, and a light guide member ( 50 ) that guides the light from the second light source (E 2 ) to the two second illumination parts (E 2 ).

Claims (63)

1. An input device to which unique identification information is allocated, the input device comprising:

a first light source;

a second light source;

a first illumination part that is illuminated by light from the first light source in order to indicate the identification information;

two second illumination parts that are placed at positions different from a position of the first illumination part and that are illuminated by light from the second light source in order to indicate the identification information; and

a light guide member including a second light guide part that guides the light from the second light source to the two second illumination parts.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a driving circuit that turns on one of or both the first light source and the second light source in such a manner that one of or both the first illumination part and the two second illumination parts are illuminated according to the identification information.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the identification information is allocated by an information processing apparatus with which the input device is connected.

4. The input device according to claim 2 , wherein

at least any one of a first number, a second number, and a third number is allocated to the input device as the identification information, and

the driving circuit turns on one of or both the first light source and the second light source in such a manner that the number of the illumination parts being illuminated among the first illumination part and the second illumination parts corresponds to the number allocated to the input device.

5. The input device according to claim 4 , wherein

the driving circuit

turns on the first light source but turns off the second light source in a case where the first number is allocated to the input device,

turns on the second light source but turns off the first light source in a case where the second number is allocated to the input device, and

turns on the first light source and the second light source in a case where the third number is allocated to the input device.

6. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first illumination part is placed between the two second illumination parts, and

the first illumination part and the two second illumination parts are arranged in a first direction.

7. The input device according to claim 6 , wherein the first light source and the second light source are arranged in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

8. The input device according to claim 7 , further comprising: a wall part that is disposed between the first light source and the second light source.

9. The input device according to claim 7 , wherein

the second light source is separated from the first light source in the second direction, and

the light guide member includes

a first branch portion that bifurcates to split a direction of the light from the second light source to one side and another side in the first direction, and

two first curved portions that guide rays of the split light in the second direction.

10. The input device according to claim 9 , wherein

the second light source applies light to one side in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and

the first branch portion includes a second reflection surface by which the light applied from the second light source to the one side in the third direction is slantingly reflected toward the one side in the first direction and another side in the third direction, and a third reflection surface by which the light applied from the second light source to the one side in the third direction is slantingly reflected toward the other side in the first direction and the other side in the third direction.

11. The input device according to claim 6 , wherein

the first light source and the first illumination part are arranged in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction,

the first light source applies light to one side in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction,

the light guide member includes a first light guide part that guides the light from the first light source to the first illumination part, and

the first light guide part includes a first reflection surface by which the light from the first light source is slantingly reflected toward one side in the second direction and another side in the third direction.

12. The input device according to claim 11 , wherein

the first light guide part further includes an extension portion that extends from the first reflection surface toward the first illumination part in a slanting direction to the one side in the second direction and the other side in the third direction.

13. The input device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a third light source; and

two third illumination parts that are placed at positions different from the positions of the first illumination part and the two second illumination parts and that are illuminated by light from the third light source, wherein

the light guide member further includes a third light guide part that guides the light from the third light source to the two third illumination parts, and

the driving circuit turns on one of or both the first light source and the second light source in such a manner that one or more of the first illumination part, the two second illumination parts, and the two third illumination parts are illuminated according to the identification information allocated to the input device.

14. The input device according to claim 13 , wherein

at least any one of a first number, a second number, a third number, and a fourth number is allocated to the input device as the identification information, and

the driving circuit turns on one or more of the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source in such a manner that the number of the illumination parts being illuminated among the first illumination part, the two second illumination parts, and the two third illumination parts corresponds to the number allocated to the input device.

15. The input device according to claim 13 , wherein

the first illumination part is placed between the two second illumination parts,

the first illumination part and the two second illumination parts are placed between the two third illumination parts, and

the first illumination part, the two second illumination parts, and the two third illumination parts are arranged in a first direction.

16. The input device according to claim 15 , wherein the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source are arranged in this order in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

17. The input device according to claim 13 , wherein

the light guide member further includes

a bridge part connecting the second light guide part and the third light guide part,

the bridge part includes a first connection portion that is connected to the second light guide part in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the second light guide part extends, and a second connection portion that is connected to the third light guide part in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the third light guide part extends.

18. A control system comprising:

an input device; and

a controller that allocates unique identification information to the input device, wherein

the input device includes

a first light source,

a second light source,

a first illumination part that is illuminated by light from the first light source in order to indicate the identification information,

two second illumination parts that are placed at positions different from a position of the first illumination part and that are illuminated by light from the second light source in order to indicate the identification information, and

a light guide member including a second light guide part that guides the light from the second light source to the two second illumination parts, and

the controller turns on one of or both the first light source and the second light source in such a manner that one of or both the first illumination part and the two second illumination parts are illuminated according to the identification information allocated to the input device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2023
From: SANNOMIYA, RYU; IGARASHI, TAKESHI
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 064624/0550 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-032863 · Mar 2, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Related Publication 20240134110A1 · Apr 25, 2024
Related Publication 20240230980A9 · Jul 11, 2024