Keypad controller for use with a video game

A keypad controller for use with a video game comprising a housing; a cable connector mechanism extended from the housing and coupleable to a plug end of a cable for connection and communication with a video game; and a plurality of actuateable directional switches each coupled to the cable connector mechanism and extended from the housing with each directional switch associated with a compass direction and with each directional switch generating a unique signal when actuated for controlling the direction of events of a video game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a keypad controller for use with a video 
game and more particularly pertains to generating directional and 
activation signals for controlling the direction and activation of events 
during play of a video game with a keypad controller for use with a video 
game. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of keypad controllers for joystick mechanisms is known in the prior 
art. More specifically, keypad controllers for joystick mechanisms 
heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of controlling play of a 
video game are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and 
obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs 
encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the 
fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 311,385 to Arkin discloses a computer 
keypad. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 327,881 to McFarlane discloses a computer 
keypad. U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,647 to Calandrello et al. discloses a touch 
pad keyboard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,928 to Chan discloses an 
educational/board game apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,331 to McCauslannd 
et al. discloses a keypad for computer system. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a keypad 
controller for use with a video game that allows the discrete control of 
the direction of events through a plurality of individually activated 
switches, thereby providing a user increased accuracy of directional 
control during play. 
In this respect, the keypad controller for use with a video game according 
to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional 
concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an 
apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of generating directional 
and activation signals for controlling the direction and activation of 
events during play of a video game. 
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for 
new and improved keypad controller for use with a video game which can be 
used for generating directional and activation signals for controlling the 
direction and activation of events during play of a video game. In this 
regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
keypad controllers for joystick mechanisms now present in the prior art, 
the present invention provides an improved keypad controller for use with 
a video game. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which 
will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and 
improved keypad controller for use with a video game and method which has 
all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises, in 
combination, a housing having a bottom wall, top wall, and a periphery 
interconnecting the top wall with the bottom wall. The periphery further 
includes a front wall, a rear wall, and two opposed and outwardly curved 
side walls with the side walls defining handles for allowing a user a firm 
grip. A cable connector is included and extended from the rear wall of the 
housing and coupleable to a plug end of a cable for connection and 
communication with a video game. The cable connector has a north terminal, 
a south terminal, an east terminal, a west terminal, event terminal, and 
ground terminal. Eight depressible directional switches are coupled to and 
extended from the top wall of the housing with four of the switches each 
located at a vertex of an imaginary square disposed upon the top wall to 
thereby define a northwest switch, a northeast switch, a southeast switch, 
and a southwest switch and with the remaining four switches each generally 
positioned between each pair of vertices of the imaginary square to define 
a north switch, a south switch, an east switch, and a west switch. Each 
switch has an cathode terminal and a anode terminal with each anode 
terminal coupled to the ground terminal of the cable connector and with 
the cathode terminal of the north switch coupled to the north terminal of 
the cable connector, the cathode terminal of the south switch coupled to 
the south terminal of the cable connector, the cathode terminal of the 
east switch coupled to the east terminal of the cable connector, and the 
cathode terminal of the west switch coupled to the west terminal of the 
cable connector. 
A first diode, a second diode, a third diode, a fourth diode, a fifth 
diode, a sixth diode, a seventh diode, and an eighth diode are included. 
The first diode has an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of 
the northwest switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the north terminal 
of the cable connector. The second diode has an anode terminal coupled to 
the cathode terminal of northeast switch and a cathode terminal coupled to 
the north terminal of the cable connector. The third diode has an anode 
terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the northeast switch and a 
cathode terminal coupled to the east terminal of the cable connector. The 
fourth diode has an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the 
southeast switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the east terminal of 
the cable connector. The fifth diode has an anode terminal coupled to the 
cathode terminal of the southeast switch and a cathode terminal coupled to 
the south terminal of the cable connector. The sixth diode has an anode 
terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the southwest switch and a 
cathode terminal coupled to the south terminal of the cable connector. The 
seventh diode has an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the 
southwest switch and a cathode terminal coupled to the west terminal of 
the cable connector. Lastly, the eighth diode has an anode terminal 
coupled to the cathode terminal of the northwest switch and a cathode 
terminal coupled to the west terminal of the cable connector. Depression 
of the north switch generates a north directional signal. Depression of 
the south switch generates a south directional signal. Depression of the 
east switch generates an east directional signal. Depression of the west 
switch generates a west directional signal. Depression of the northeast 
switch generates a north directional signal and east directional signal. 
Depression of the southeast switch generates a south directional signal 
and an east directional signal. Depression of the southwest switch 
generates a south directional signal and a west directional signal. 
Lastly, depression of the northwest switch generates a north directional 
signal and a west directional signal. Two pairs of actuation switches are 
included and extended from the rear wall of the housing. Each pair of 
actuation switches is formed of a depressible action switch and a lock 
switch. The action switch has a cathode terminal coupled to the event 
terminal of the cable connector and an anode terminal connected to the 
ground terminal of the cable connector. Depression of the action switch 
generates an activation signal. The lock switch is coupled to the action 
switch and has an activated orientation for allowing the continual 
generation of the activation signal and a de-activated orientation for 
preventing such continual generation. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved keypad controller for use with a video game which has all the 
advantages of the prior art keypad controllers for joystick mechanisms and 
none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
keypad controller for use with a video game which may be easily and 
efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved keypad controller for use with a video game which is of durable 
and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved keypad controller for use with a video game which is susceptible 
of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and 
which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the 
consuming public, thereby making such a keypad controller for use with a 
video game economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the+present invention is to provide a new and 
improved keypad controller for use with a video game which provides in the 
apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, 
while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally 
associated therewith. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved keypad controller for use with a video game for generating 
directional and activation signals for controlling the direction and 
activation of events during play of a video game. 
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved keypad controller for use with a video game comprising a housing; 
cable connector means extended from the housing and coupleable to a plug 
end of a cable for connection and communication with a video game; and a 
plurality of actuateable directional switches each coupled to the cable 
connector means and extended from the housing, each switch associated with 
a compass direction, each switch generating a unique signal when actuated 
for controlling the direction of events of a video game. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular, to FIG. 1 thereof, 
the preferred embodiment of the new and improved keypad controller for use 
with a video game embodying the principles and concepts of the present 
invention and generally designated by the reference number 10 will be 
described. 
Specifically, the preferred embodiment the present invention essentially 
includes five major components. The major components are the housing, 
cable connector, directional switches, diodes, and actuation switches. 
These components are interrelated to provide the intended function of 
generating directional and activation signals for controlling the 
direction and activation of events during play of a video game. 
More specifically, it will be noted in the various Figures that the first 
major component is the housing 12. The housing is formed of plastic or 
other similar rigid material. The housing has a bottom wall 14, a top wall 
16, and a periphery interconnecting the top wall with the bottom wall. The 
periphery is further formed of a front wall 18, a rear wall 20, and two 
opposed and outwardly curved side walls 22. The side walls define handles 
for allowing a user a firm grip during play. 
The second major component is the cable connector 30. The cable connector 
is electrically conductive and extended from the rear wall 20 of the 
housing. The cable connector is coupleable to a plug end of a video game 
cable for connection and communication therewith. This video game may be 
one that is commercially available in a stand-alone arcade form or one 
that executes upon a commercially available personal computer. The cable 
connector has a north terminal 32, a south terminal 34, an east terminal 
36, a west terminal 38, an event terminal 40, and a ground terminal 42. 
The terminals provide signals to the video game based upon user actuation 
for controlling operation thereof. 
The third major component is the directional switches 50. The 
present-invention includes eight depressible directional switches. The 
directional switches are coupled to and extended from the front wall of 
the housing. Four of the switches are each located at a separate vertex of 
an imaginary square disposed upon the top wall to thereby define a 
northwest switch 52, a northeast switch 54, a southeast switch 56, and a 
southwest switch 58. The four remaining switches are each generally 
positioned between each pair of vertices of the imaginary square to 
thereby define a north switch 60, a south switch 62, an east switch 64, 
and a west switch 66. Each directional switch has a cathode terminal and 
an anode terminal. The anode terminal of each directional switch is 
coupled to the ground terminal 42 of the cable connector. The cathode 
terminal of the north switch is coupled to the north terminal of the cable 
connector 30. The cathode terminal of the south switch is coupled to the 
south terminal 34 of the cable connector. The cathode terminal of the east 
switch is coupled to the east terminal 36 of the cable connector. The 
cathode terminal of the west switch is coupled to the west terminal 38 of 
the cable connector. 
The fourth major component of the present invention is the diodes. The 
present invention includes a first diode 70, a second diode 72, a third 
diode 74, a fourth diode 76, a fifth diode 78, a sixth diode 80, a seventh 
diode 82, and an eighth diode 84. The first diode has an anode terminal 
coupled to the cathode terminal of the northwest switch 52 and a cathode 
terminal coupled to the north terminal 32 of the cable connector. The 
second diode has an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the 
northeast switch 54 and a cathode terminal coupled to the north terminal 
32 of the cable connector. The third diode has an anode terminal coupled 
to the cathode terminal of the northeast switch 54 and a cathode terminal 
coupled to the east terminal 36 of the cable connector. The fourth diode 
has an anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the southeast 
switch 56 and a cathode terminal coupled to the east terminal 36 of the 
cable connector. The fifth diode has an anode terminal coupled to the 
cathode terminal of the southeast switch 56 and a cathode terminal coupled 
to the south terminal 34 of the cable connector. The sixth diode has an 
anode terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the southwest switch 58 
and a cathode terminal coupled to the south terminal 34 of the cable 
connector. The seventh diode has an anode terminal coupled to the cathode 
terminal of the southwest switch 58 and a cathode terminal coupled to the 
west terminal 38 of the cable connector. The eighth diode has an anode 
terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the northwest switch 52 and a 
cathode terminal coupled to the west terminal 38 of the cable connector. 
The diodes are used for ensuring that when a given directional switch is 
activated, the adjacent directional switches are not inadvertently 
activated. For example, when the north switch 60 is depressed, current 
flows therethrough, and this current is subsequently blocked from 
activating the northeast switch 54 and the north west switch 52 due to the 
third diode 74 and the eight diode 84. Thus, depression of the north 
switch generates a north directional signal, depression of the south 
switch generates a south directional signal, depression of the east switch 
generates an east directional signal, and depression of the west switch 
generates a west directional signal. Since the cable connector has only 
four active terminals for indicating direction that are coupleable to the 
video game cable, directional signals representing directions other than 
north, south, east, and west are formed through a combination of related 
signals. Therefore, depression of the northeast switch generates a north 
directional signal and an east directional signal, depression of the 
southeast switch generates a south directional signal and an east 
directional signal, depression of the southwest switch generates a south 
directional signal and a west directional signal, and depression of the 
northwest switch generates a north directional signal and a west 
directional signal. When these signals are received, associated electronic 
circuitry in the video game decodes the two signal combination to 
determine the appropriate compass direction. 
The fifth major component is the actuation switches 90. The present 
invention includes two pairs of actuation switches. The actuation switches 
are extended from the front wall 18 of the housing. Each pair of actuation 
switches is formed of a depressible action switch 92 and a lock switch 94. 
The action switch has a cathode terminal coupled to the event terminal of 
the cable connector and an anode terminal coupled to the ground terminal 
of the cable connector. Depression of the action switch generates an 
activation signal for transmission to the video game. The lock switch is 
coupled with the action switch. The lock switch has an activated 
orientation for allowing the continual generation of the activation signal 
and a de-activated orientation for preventing such continual generation. 
The lock switch could be utilized by a user to sustain a continual rate of 
fire in a target game, for example. 
A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 7. In this 
embodiment, the directional switches consist of the north switch 60, the 
south switch 64, the east switch 62, and the west switch 66. The 
directional switches are each located at a vertice of an imaginary square 
disposed upon the housing. The switches are further extended into a 
contact pad for preventing their inadvertent actuation during play. The 
second embodiment also includes a pair of action switches 92. The action 
switches are located on opposite sides of the directional switches. 
A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8. The 
directional switches consist of a north switch 60, a south switch 62, an 
east switch 64, a west switch 66, a northwest switch 52, a northeast 
switch 54, a southeast switch 56, and a southwest switch 58. The north 
switch, south switch, east switch, and west switch are each located at a 
vertex of a first imaginary square disposed on the housing. The northwest 
switch, northeast switch, southwest switch, and southeast switch are each 
located at a vertex of a second imaginary square disposed on the housing. 
The centroid of the first imaginary square is aligned with the centroid of 
the second imaginary square. The second imaginary square is further 
rotated 45.degree. with respect to the first imaginary square. This 
positioning essentially creates a diagonal-type configuration. The third 
embodiment also includes a pair of lockable actuation switches 96 extended 
from the front wall. The positioning of the switches in the preferred 
embodiment, second embodiment, and third embodiment allow ready actuation 
during play with minimal finger movements, thereby providing a user 
increased speed and accuracy. Furthermore, this switch positioning allows 
a user to play for extended periods of time without tiring. 
The present invention is a key button pad for use with video games. The 
unique design allows the user to maintain positive control over diagonal 
movements as well as the standard up, down, left, and right movements. The 
present invention is rectangular in shape and is approximately four inches 
long by approximately two inches wide and has a thickness of about one 
inch. The top surface has an array of eight push buttons with the 
appropriate notations as to each respective direction. Indicia may be 
disposed on the housing for indicating such direction or the buttons may 
be formed for indicating such direction. Two additional buttons can be 
found on the front of the unit which control the firing action. All 
electronic components are concealed in a plastic housing, and the buttons 
are plastic as well. 
To operate the present invention, the user simply holds the device 
comfortably in hand and, by using either one or both hands, controls the 
movements in the game. When one of the diagonal buttons is pushed, a 
direct contact is made to a diode and that signal is sent to the video 
game. The present invention is designed to take the place of the standard 
keypad or joystick controller usually associated with a computer game. 
The present invention is a significant improvement over existing units 
because of its precise accuracy. Existing controllers use mechanical 
connection between two buttons to accomplish a diagonal movement, and this 
method is not dependable because it can fail or be too slow. The present 
invention is usable with all types of computer games, video games, and 
other such devices. It is also adapted for use by graphic artists and 
software developers. The present invention may also be used with flight 
simulators. 
The push buttons of the present invention are square and black and have a 
side length of 0.47 inches. Single pull single throw switches are 
utilized. The diodes of the present invention may be formed of germanium 
with a 0.3 volt activation voltage or of silicon with a 0.7 volt 
activation voltage. The cable connector of the present invention is 
adapted to be connected with cables from a variety of computer systems or 
computer games. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further 
discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the 
manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and 
obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to 
those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modification and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modification and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.