Abstract:
A video game controller assembly having a controller adapted to communicate with a video game console for interfacing with a video game. A display is attached to the controller for displaying an image corresponding to a video signal received from the video game console.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/381,817, filed May 21, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a video game system including a video game console and a video game controller having a display screen. More particularly, the present invention relates to a video game controller having an integral display screen. A display screen attached to the controller provides a more portable video game system.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Existing standard video game systems generally include a video game console, at least one controller and a display screen, where the display screen may be a standard television, HDTV, digital TV, etc. Software inserted into the video game console provides the programs necessary to play a video game. The video game console is connected to a television for transmitting audio-video signals to the television to create a video display on a television screen. The controller is connected to a port of the video game console for transmitting signals to the central processing unit of the video game console. The controller signals are processed by the processor in the video game console to modify the video signal sent to the television, thereby allowing characters or images of the video display to be manipulated with the controller. Video game systems relying on a television screen to be the video display are bulky and, therefore, not readily portable.  
           [0004]    Hand-held video game consoles provide a portable video game. However, they have several disadvantages compared to standard video game consoles. Hand-held game consoles have significantly less processing power and a much lower screen resolution than standard video game consoles. Furthermore, there are significantly fewer games available for hand-held consoles than for standard video game consoles, due in part to those drawbacks. Due to the lack of processing power of the hand-held video game consoles, the graphic capabilities of the hand-held video game consoles is far inferior to that of the standard video game consoles. Therefore, the games for the hand-held video game consoles are not nearly as attractive, intricate or detailed as for the standard video game consoles, and thus are ultimately less appealing to a video game player.  
           [0005]    Another problem with existing video game systems is that a television is required in order to use and enjoy the video game systems. The video game system cannot be used and enjoyed unless a television is available when the video game is desired to be played. This often leads to conflicts when one person wishes to play video games using the television to which the video game system is connected at the same time someone else wants to watch television programs on that television or use another device connected to that television.  
           [0006]    A need exists for a portable video game system that overcomes the processing power and screen resolution problems described above with regard to hand-held video game consoles.  
           [0007]    A further need exists for a portable video game system that overcomes the graphic capability problems described above with regard to hand-held video game consoles.  
           [0008]    A still further need exists for a video game controller having an integrated display screen.  
           [0009]    A still further need exists for a video game system not requiring a television screen to be used as the display screen.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a video game controller having a display screen for use with a video game console.  
           [0011]    A further objective of the present invention is to provide a video game system that is more readily portable than existing video game systems.  
           [0012]    A still further objective is to provide a portable video game system that overcomes the processing power, screen resolution and graphic capability problems of existing hand-held video game consoles.  
           [0013]    The foregoing objects are basically attained by providing a video game controller assembly. The assembly has a controller adapted to communicate with a video game console for interfacing with a video game. A display monitor having a display screen integrally connected to the controller for displaying an image on the display screen corresponding to a video signal received from the video game console.  
           [0014]    Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    Referring now to the drawings that form a part of the original disclosure:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a video game controller having an attached display screen according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a top view of the video game controller of FIG. 1.;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is front view of the video game controller of FIG. 1;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the video game controller of FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of the video game system of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 5B and 5C show connector modules for connecting to a video port of the video game console of FIG. 5A; and  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the display screen of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]    The present invention provides a video game system  11 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 6 . The video game system  11 , according to the present invention, includes a conventional video game console  21  and a video game controller  31  that has a display screen  41  attached to the video game controller, as shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 . The video game console  21  is connected to a power source  51  that powers the video game system  11 . The controller  31  and the display screen  41  are both connected to the video game console  21 . The display screen  41  may be any type display, such as an LED, OLED or LCD, but preferably is an LCD.  
         [0024]    The video game console  21  is a conventional video game console, such as the Nintendo Gamecube or the Sony Playstation I or II. Since a conventional video game console is used, there are no processing and graphic capability problems that are inherent with hand-held video game consoles. Power cable  53  supplies power from the power supply  51  to the video game console  21 , as shown in FIG. 5A. The power supply  51  may be any power source that provides adequate power for operation of the video game system  11 , including, but not limited to, a standard electrical outlet and a power outlet in an automobile.  
         [0025]    At least one controller port  22  on the video game console  21  receives a controller cable  32  from the video game controller  31 . Preferably, the video game console  21  has four controller ports  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  25 . At least one audio-video port  26  on the console  21  receives audio-video cable  42  from the controller  31  for transmitting audio-video signals from the video game console  21  to the display monitor  40  of the controller  31 . The controller cable  32  and audio-video cable  42  may enter the controller housing  33  at the same location, thereby allowing cables  32  and  42  to be run together between the controller  31  and the cable split  27 . Alternatively, wireless communication may be used to transmit signals between the controller  31  and the video game console  21 .  
         [0026]    A video game controller  31  with an attached display screen  41  of an LCD monitor  40  is shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 . The LCD monitor  40  may be permanently or temporarily attached to controller  31 . Preferably, the LCD monitor  40  is integral with video game controller  31  so that the display screen  41  is integral with the controller. The display screen  41  may be pivotably connected to the controller. Housing  33  contains the LCD monitor  40 , as well as all the controls necessary for playing the video game. Preferably, the housing  33  secures the LCD monitor  40  and display screen  41  unitarily within the controller  31 . Some typical controls are shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , such as, but not limited to, directional pad  91 , start button  92 , left analog stick  93 , standard action buttons  94 ,  95 ,  96  and  97 , and right analog stick (or camera stick)  98 . Left grip  75  and right grip  76  facilitate a user&#39;s grip on the controller housing to provide a more enjoyable gaming experience. Preferably, the left and right grips  75  and  76  are made of rubber. Alternatively, any controller for playing a video game may be used, such as, but not limited to, the standard controller shown in FIGS.  1 - 4  or a steering wheel style controller.  
         [0027]    A connector module  61  receives audio-video cable  42  from the controller  31 , as shown in FIG. 5A. The connector module  61  plugs into the audio-video port  26  in the video game console  21 . FIGS. 5B and 5C, show alternate connector modules. FIG. 5B shows a connector module  71  that receives a single audio-video cable and plugs into the audio-video port  26  of the console  21 . FIG. 5C shows a connector module  81  that connects to the audio-video port  26  of the console  21  and that has a connector module port  83  for receiving additional connector modules  61 . Connector module  81  connects multiple connector modules together, thereby allowing several display screens to receive the audio-video signal transmitted from the single audio-visual port  26  of the game console  21 .  
         [0028]    Preferably, the display screen  41  is an LCD having a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) or DSTN (Dual Scan Twisted Nematic) active non-glare matrix. An electrical schematic diagram of an LCD monitor  40  is shown in FIG. 6. The LCD display screen  41  has a video signal decoder  43  that receives an audio-video signal  48  from the video game console  21 . The video signal received from the video game console includes, but is not limited to, NTSC, CAM, PAL, HDTV, digital and analog video signals. The decoded signal  44  is transmitted to the LCD controller  45 , which in turn transmits a control signal  52  to the driver  49  that causes the driver to display an image on the glass  50  of the display screen  41  of the LCD module  46 . The LCD module  46  may have a back light  47  to facilitate viewing the display screen  41  in dim and dark conditions by providing contrast. Preferably, the display screen  41  is approximately between 3 and 4 inches, inclusive.  
         [0029]    The video game controller  31 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, allows a user to adjust certain features of the display screen  41 , including, but not limited to, brightness of the screen and volume. A first knob  34  allows the user to control the brightness of the display screen  41 . A second knob  35  allows the user to control the volume of speaker  36 . Buttons  37  and  38  allow the user to increase or decrease, respectively, the brightness of the display screen or the volume. A headphone port  39  may be provided in the controller  31  for receiving headphones to provide private sound to the user. The remaining controls are standard controls for the particular video game console with which the controller is used to manipulate images or characters of the video display.  
         [0030]    In another embodiment, the video game controller  31  has an audio member for receiving and playing an audio signal received from the video game console. Preferably, the audio member includes an amplifier that amplifies the received audio signal and a transducer for playing the amplified audio signal. Preferably, the transducer is a speaker  36 . Alternatively, opening  39  may receive a plug to connect an earphone to the audio member so that a user may enjoy the audio without disturbing others in the vicinity.  
         [0031]    By utilizing a conventional video game console  21 , the video game system  11  of the present invention is not limited by the processing power, graphic capabilities and screen resolution problems as are the hand-held video game consoles. Since the video game system  11  includes only the video game console and the video game controller  31  having an attached display screen  41 , the video game system is easily portable. Additionally, a television is no longer required to serve as the display screen because the video game controller  31  has an attached display screen  41 , thereby eliminating conflicts over usage of the television.  
         [0032]    While advantageous embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.