Abstract:
A video game system having sound device is provided. The video game system comprises a sound adaptor and a sound device connected to a first memory card slot and a second memory card slot of a game controller of the video game player such that a user can communicate with other users through a built-in microphone and speaker of the sound device within a valid range via wireless controller. Therefore, a user can directly execute a game by wirelessly controlling the game controller without wearing wired earphone and microphone.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application number 092210674 filed on Jun. 11, 2003.  
         BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. The Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a video game system, and more particularly to a video game system having sound device comprising a sound adaptor and a sound device connected to a first memory card slot and a second memory card slot of a game controller of a video game player such that a player can wirelessly communicate with other players via a microphone and a speaker of the sound device within a valid range via the game controller. Therefore, a player can directly execute a game by wirelessly controlling the game controller without wearing wired earphone and microphone.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0005]    Presently, the online games are popular. Nowadays players can play not only PC games but also the online internet games. Several manufacturers have invested in developing various peripheral products for the video games with a view of achieving user-friendly operations and to provide more convenience to the players. For example, some manufacturers designed using earphone and speaker to enable the player to communicate with other players while playing the game in order to create more fun.  
           [0006]    Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B,  1 C and  2 , elevational views of a conventional video game system, and elevational view of a conventional game controller and a sound adaptor, a headset and a block diagram of a circuit of a sound device, are respectively shown. The peripheral products available for video game player, Xbox of Microsoft, includes a video game player  10 , a game controller  20 , a sound adaptor  30 , a sound device  40  comprising an earphone  41  and a microphone  42 . The game controller  20  comprises a first memory card slot  22  which is adapted for receiving the sound adaptor  30  having external card bus for allowing communication between the second communication interface  35  and the game controller  20 . The earphone and the microphone  42  are connected to the sound adaptor  30  via the sound transmission wire  43  and the headset jack  34 . Thus, the first control circuit  21  and the first communication interface  25  of the game controller  20  can communicate with the video game player  10 . Furthermore, the game controller  20  comprises a second memory card slot  23  and buttons  24 . The second memory card slot  23  is a reserved slot and the buttons  24  are adapted for controlling the functions of the game. Furthermore, the sound adaptor  30  comprises a second control circuit  31 , a volume regulator  32  and a microphone switch  33 . The second control circuit  31  is adapted for controlling the volume of the earphone  41  and also for turning on/off the microphone  42 .  
           [0007]    However, the above conventional video game system has the following defects.  
           [0008]    1. The specifications of the earphone  41  and the microphone  42  are different from the other available products, therefore, if the earphone  41  and the microphone  42  are damaged, the user must purchase the whole set as a replacement. Thus, the cost is high and thereby discouraging some players from buying such video game system.  
           [0009]    2. The earphone  41  and the microphone  42  must be connected via the sound transmission wire  43  to communicate with the sound adaptor  30  for controlling the game controller  20 , and because the length of the wire is limited and may get entangled, therefore causing inconvenience to players.  
           [0010]    3. Because the earphone  41  and the microphone  42  are designed to directly contact the player&#39;s ear, and also the weight of the earphone  41  and the microphone  42  can cause uneasiness to the player after a long time usage.  
           [0011]    4. The player cannot move freely due to the wired connection of the sound transmission wire  43  and the controller transmission wire.  
           [0012]    5. The volume regulator  32  and the microphone switch  33  cannot be controlled instantly.  
           [0013]    Besides, the other available video game player, PS2 of Sony, particularly for playing online game, has built-in control interface of the earphone and the microphone. The disadvantage of this product is that the players cannot move freely due to the sound transmission wire and the controller transmission wire.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0014]    Accordingly, in the view of the foregoing, the present inventor makes a detailed study of related art to evaluate and consider, and uses years of accumulated experience in this field, and through several experiments, to create a new sound device of video game system. The present invention provides an innovated cost effective sound device of video game system such that a user can execute a game by wirelessly controlling the game controller and wirelessly communicate with other users via the game controller within a valid range without wearing wired microphone and speaker.  
           [0015]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the sound device of the video game comprises a control circuit, a speaker, a microphone, a sound transmission wire and a communication interface. The sound device is connected to a first memory card slot of the game controller via the sound transmission wire so that a player can play the game without wearing the earphone and microphone. The player can communicate with other players via the speaker and the microphone of the sound device inserted into the second memory card slot, thus the players can have more fun.  
           [0016]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the game controller comprises a second memory card slot for power connection to provide power for operating video game player. The headset jack at the distal end of the sound transmission wire is connected to the sound adaptor positioned in the first memory card slot, thus sound signals and data signals can be transmitted/received via sound adaptor and sound device to facilitate the game execution without requiring to wear the earphone and microphone.  
           [0017]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the speaker and the microphone are installed in the game controller. When the player adjusts the volume switch of the microphone, the signal generated while adjusting the volume regulator and the microphone switch is sent to the first control circuit via the second control circuit, the headset jack and the sound transmission wire. The first control circuit is adapted for controlling the volume of the speaker and also for turning on/off the microphone. Therefore, the on-line players need not wear the earphone or microphone while playing the game. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following accompanying drawings.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1A is an elevational view of a conventional video game system.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1B is an elevational view of a conventional game controller and sound adaptor.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1C is an elevational view of a conventional headset.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a circuit of a conventional video game system.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3A is the elevational view (1) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3B is an elevational view (2) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3C is a elevational view (3) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3D is an elevational view (4) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3E is an elevational view (5) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3F is an elevational view (6) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a circuit of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5A is an elevational view (1) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5B is an elevational view (2) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 5C is an elevational view (3) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5D is an elevational view (4) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5E is an elevational view (5) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5F is an elevational view (6) of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a circuit of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a circuit of a video game system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0038]    Reference will be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0039]    Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 4, an elevational view (1) of a video game system and a block diagram of a circuit of a video game system according to an embodiment of the present invention are respectively shown. The video game system comprises a video game player  10 , a game controller  20 , a sound adaptor  30  and a sound device  40 . The video game player  10  is connected to a game controller  20 . The game controller  20  is connected to a sound adaptor  30  and the sound device  40 .  
         [0040]    The game controller  20  comprises a first control circuit  21 , a first memory card slot  22 , a second memory card slot  23 , a button  24  and a first communication interface  25 , wherein the first memory card slot  22 , the second memory card slot  23 , the button  24  and the first communication interface  25  are connected to the first control circuit  21 . The sound adaptor  30  is connected to the first memory card slot  22  and the sound device  40  is connected to the second memory card slot  23 .  
         [0041]    The sound adaptor  30  comprises a second control circuit  31 , a volume regulator  32 , a microphone switch  33 , a headset jack  34  and a second communication interface  35 , wherein the volume regulator  32 , the microphone switch  33 , the headset jack  34  and the second communication interface  35  are connected to the second control circuit  31 . The headset jack  34  is connected to a third control circuit  44  of the sound device  40  through a sound transmission wire  43 .  
         [0042]    Furthermore, the sound device  40  comprises the third control circuit  44 , a speaker  45 , a microphone  42 , a sound transmission wire  43  and a third communication interface  46 , wherein the speaker  45 , the microphone  42 , the sound transmission wire  43  and the third communication interface  46  are connected to the third control circuit  44 . The third control circuit  44  receives a sound signal sent from the sound adaptor  30  via the sound transmission wire  43 , as well as a sound signal input by a user transmitted by the microphone  42 . The speaker  45  receives the sound signal transmitted from the third circuit  44 .  
         [0043]    Hereinafter, the assembly of the video game system will be described. The game controller  20  is connected to the video game player  10 . Next, the sound adaptor  30  is inserted into the first memory card slot  22  of the game controller  20 . Next, the headset jack  34  of the sound adaptor  30  is connected into the third control circuit  44  of the sound device  40  via the sound transmission wire  43 .  
         [0044]    Furthermore, the game controller  20  is adapted to control the buttons  24  to transmit signals in an orderly manner via the first control circuit  21  and the first communication interface  25  to the video game player  10 .  
         [0045]    The volume regulator  32  and the microphone switch  33  are adapted for adjusting the volume of the speaker  45  of the sound device  40  and also for turning on/off the microphone  42 . The signals generated during the volume adjustment are transmitted in orderly manner via the second control circuit  31 , the headsetjack  34  and the sound transmission wire  43  to the third control circuit  44 .  
         [0046]    Furthermore, the third control circuit  44  comprises an auto-gain circuit  441  and an echo canceling circuit  442 . The auto-gain circuit  441  is adapted for balancing the over loud volume sound or a low volume sound. The echo canceling circuit  442  is for canceling the echo.  
         [0047]    Now referring to FIG. 3A-3F, are elevational views (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) of a video game systems according to various embodiments of the present invention, wherein the game controller  20  can be a palm joystick, a steering wheel, a dancing pad, a joystick, a flight joystick or a light beam gun.  
         [0048]    Besides, FIGS. 5A and 6, are elevational view (1) and a block diagram of a circuit of a video game system according an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the speaker  45  and the microphone  42  are installed directly in the game controller  20 . Thus when a player adjusts the volume of the speaker  45  and switch on/off the microphone  42  by operating the volume regulator  32  and the microphone switch  33 , signals generated during the operation of the volume regulator  32  and the microphone switch  33  will be transmitted via the second control circuit  31 , the headset jack  34  and the sound transmission wire  43  to the first control circuit  21 .  
         [0049]    Referring to FIGS. 5A-5F, elevational views (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) of a video game system according to various embodiments of the present invention are respectively shown. The game controller  20  can be a palm joystick, a steering wheel, a dancing pad, a joystick, a flight joystick or a light beam gun.  
         [0050]    Furthermore, referring to FIG. 7, a block diagram of a circuit of a video game system according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The video game player  10  is connected to the game controller  20 . The game controller  20  comprises the first communication interface  25  and the second communication interface  35 . The first communication interface  25  is connected to the first control circuit  21  and the buttons  24 . The second communication interface  35  is connected to the second control circuit  31 . The second control circuit  31  is connected to the speaker  45 , the volume regulator  32 , the microphone  42  and the microphone switch  33 . During the operation of the video game system according the present embodiment of the present invention, the game controller  20  controls the buttons  24  to generate a signal, which is transmitted to the video game player  10  via the first control circuit  21  and the first communication interface  25  in orderly manner. The video game player  10  generates a sound signal and transmits the sound signal to the speaker  45  via the second communication interface  35  and the second control circuit  31  in orderly manner. The volume regulator  32  is adapted for adjusting the volume of the sound device. Furthermore, the microphone  45  receives the sound signal input by the user, and then transmits the sound signal to the video game player  10  in orderly manner via the second control circuit  31  and the second communication interface  35 . The microphone switch  33  is adapted for turning on or off the microphone  42 . Furthermore, the second control circuit  31  comprises the auto-gain circuit  441  and the echo canceling circuit  442 . The auto-gain circuit  441  is adapted for balancing the over loud volume sound or a low volume sound. The echo canceling circuit  442  is for canceling the echo.  
         [0051]    While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations in which fall within the spirit and scope of the included claims. All matters set forth herein or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and nonlimiting sense.