Patent Publication Number: US-2007123351-A1

Title: Game control device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to game machines and more particularly, to a game control device, which displays the operation status of the transmission interface, the index input device, the vibrator, the power supply and the game machine main unit.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Following the development of different video game machines, a variety of video game programs have been created. A game machine is generally used with a game control device, which may be made in the form of a game pad, joystick or steering wheel.  
      In order to enhance the controllability, various advanced game pads are created. From the early design with continuous shooting function to the latest design with recording function, different game pads have been developed for use with different video game machines.  FIG. 6  shows a sophisticated game pad with a LCD panel. As illustrated, the game pad A has a LCD panel A 1  for showing the operation status of the game pad A or the capacity of the memory.  
      In the aforesaid game pad A, the LCD panel A 1  is designed to show a fixed arrangement. The game pad A does not allow the user to change the display arrangement of the LCD panel A 1 . Further, because the game pad A has a limited size, the size of the LCD panel A 1  is also limited. If the LCD panel A 1  is set to display a number of status of the game pad A, a display screen of the LCD panel A 1  must be divided into multiple small display zones for the display of different status of the game pad A. In this case, the user may be difficult to see each item displayed on each display zone. On the contrary, when reducing the number of display zones, the number of status of the game pad A to be displayed on the display screen of the LCD panel A 1  is relatively reduced, and the LCD panel A 1  will be unable to show all status of the game pad A.  
      Therefore, it is desirable to provide a game control device that eliminates the aforesaid problem.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a game control device, which has a display device controllable to display the device picture of the transmission interface, index input device, vibrator, power supply unit or game machine main unit and the operation status of the respective device in the selected device picture. It is another object of the present invention to provide a game control device, which enables the user to select the device picture of the transmission interface, the index input device, the vibrator, the power supply unit or the game machine main unit for display on the display device by means of operating the index input device.  
      To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the game control device is set for use with a game machine main unit, comprising a transmission interface for data transmission between the game control device and the game machine main unit, an index input device for providing a control signal, a vibrator for producing a vibration, a power supply device for providing the game control device with the necessary working power, display means for displaying data, and a microcontroller electrically coupled to the transmission interface, the index input device, the vibrator, the power supply device and the display means, wherein the transmission interface, the index input device, the vibrator and the power supply device respectively produce a respective status signal during operation; the microcontroller receives the status signal from the transmission interface, the index input device, the vibrator, the power supply device and the game machine main unit, converts the status signal into a corresponding status data, and sends the status data to the display means; the display means is controlled by the microprocessor to display each status data received from the microprocessor in a respective device picture corresponding to the transmission interface, the index input device, the vibrator, the power supply device and the game machine main unit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a system block diagram of a game control device according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a display picture changing operation flow chart according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a status display flow chart according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing showing the display of the status data of the index input device according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing showing the display of the status data of the vibrator according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing showing a game control device according to the prior art. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a game control device  1  in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a transmission interface  11 , an index input device  12 , a vibrator  13 , a power supply unit  14 , a microcontroller  15 , and a display device  16 .  
      The transmission interface  11  is for data transmission between the game control device  1  and a game machine main unit  2 , and capable of producing a status signal during transmission of data. The game machine main unit  2  has audio output. The transmission interface  11  can be a wired transmission interface or wireless transmission interface. For wireless data transmission, the transmission interface  11  can be constructed subject to infrared, ZigBee, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technologies. For wired data transmission, the transmission interface  11  can be an IEEE1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Standard Bus Interface), USB (Universal Serial Bus), SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment), IDE (Integrated Device Electronics), or SCSI (Small Computer Standard Interface).  
      The index input device  12  is a cursor control device made in the form of switch, button, joystick, crossed keyboard, force feedback, game pad, rockfire, directional button, or tablet for providing an index control signal.  
      The vibrator  13  can receive signal and produce a relative vibration upon receipt of a signal. During vibration, the vibrator produces a relative vibration strength signal. Further, the vibrator  13  can be formed of a motor.  
      The power supply unit  14  provides the game control device  1  with the necessary working power, and can produce a power status signal. The power supply unit  14  can be a battery pack.  
      The microcontroller  15  receives the status signal from the transmission interface  11  during data transmission, the control signal from the index input device  12  during working of the index input device  12 , the vibration strength signal from the vibrator  13  during vibration of the vibrator  13 , the power status signal from the power supply unit  14  and the status signal of the game machine main unit  2 , and convert these signals into a status data for output to the display device  16 .  
      The display device  16  receives and displays the status data from the microcontroller  15 . The display device  16  can be a dot matrix type TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display), TN-LCD (Twisted Nematic-Liquid Crystal Display), STN-LCD (Super Twisted Nematic-Liquid Crystal Display), PDP (Plasma Display), Color STN LCD (Color Super Twisted Nematic Liquid Crystal Display), Fast STN LCD (Fast Super Twisted Nematic Liquid Crystal Display), OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes), LTPS LCD (Low Temperature Polycrystal Silicon Liquid Crystal Display), or related equivalent display means.  
       FIG. 2  is a display picture changing operation flow chart according to the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when changing the display picture of the display device  16 , the game control device  1  proceeds with the following steps.  
      (100) Start where the game control device  1  and the game machine main unit  2  are connected and entered a setting status.  
      (101) The display device  16  displays an initially set picture.  
      (102) Operate the index input device  12  to produce a control signal to the microcontroller  15 .  
      (103) The microcontroller  15  transmits the control signal to the display device  16 .  
      (104) The display device  16  displays various device pictures.  
      (105) Select a device picture? And then proceed to step (106) if positive or step (107) if negative.  
      (106) The microcontroller  15  stores the selected device picture and displays the selected device picture on the display device  16 .  
      (107) Continue the procedure of operating the index input device  12  and return to step (102).  
       FIG. 3  is a status display flow chart according to the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , when displaying the status of the game control device  1 , the game control device  1  proceeds with the following steps.  
      (200) Start where the game control device  1  and the game machine main unit  2  are connected.  
      (201) The game machine main unit  2  starts to run a game.  
      (202) The game control device  1  start to run.  
      (203) The microcontroller  15  transmits a signal to the display device  16 , causing the display device  16  to display a preset device picture.  
      (204) The microcontroller  15  receives a signal produced by the game control device  1  corresponding to the preset device picture and converts the signal into corresponding status data, and then sends the status data to the display device  16 .  
      (205) The display device  16  displays the respective device action status in the preset device picture.  
      As indicated above, when operating the game control device  1 , the index input device  12  produces a control signal to drive the microcontroller  15  into a set status, and the display device  16  is controlled to display a set picture, and to show the device picture corresponding to the transmission interface  11 , the index input device  12 , the vibrator  13 , the power supply device  14 , and the game machine main unit  2 . Thereafter, operate the index input device  12  to select a device picture to be displayed on the display device  16 . After selection, withdraw from the setting status. After connection between the game control device  1  and the game machine main unit  2 , the display device  16  displays the status of the selected device picture, for example, the status of the transmission interface  11 . At this time, the microcontroller  15  receives the data transmission status signal from the transmission interface  11  and converts the data transmission status signal into a status data, and then sends the status data to the display device  16 , causing the display device  16  to display the status data of the transmission interface  11  in the form of a figure, barcode or waveform.  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing showing the display of the status data of the index input device. When the display device  16  is controlled to display a device picture of the index input device  12 , the microcontroller  15  receives a control signal produced by the index input device  12  and converts the control signal into corresponding status data, and then sends the status data to the display device  16 , causing the display device  16  to display the status data of the index input device  12  in the form of a figure, barcode or waveform for review. The operator can compare the status data displayed on the display device  16  to the index input device  12 , checking any possible failure of the index input device  12 .  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing showing the display of the status data of the vibrator. When the display device  16  is controlled to display a device picture of the vibrator  13 , the microcontroller  15  receives a vibration strength signal produced by the vibrator  13  and converts the vibration strength signal into corresponding status data, and then sends the status data to the display device  16 , causing the display device  16  to display the status data (vibration strength) of the vibrator  13  in the form of a figure, barcode or waveform for review.  
      When the display device  16  is controlled to display a device picture of the power supply device  14 , the microcontroller  15  receives a power status signal produced by the power supply device  14  and converts the power status signal into corresponding status data, and then sends the status data to the display device  16 , causing the display device  16  to display the status data (power status) of the power supply device  14  in the form of a figure, barcode or waveform, and to produce a warning signal when power low.  
      When the display device  16  is controlled to display a device picture of the game machine main unit  2 , the microcontroller  15  receives an audio signal or time signal produced by the game machine main unit  2  and converts the signal into corresponding status data, and then sends the status data to the display device  16 , causing the display device  16  to display the status data (voice strength) of the game machine main unit  2  or the game time or the current time in the form of a figure, barcode or waveform.  
      When compared to the prior art design, the invention has the following advantages.  
      (1) The display device  16  can display the operation status of the transmission interface  11 , the index input device  12 , the vibrator  13  or the power supply device  14 . Each time using the game control device  1 , the user can know if the current action of the transmission interface  11 , the index input device  12 , the vibrator  13  or the power supply device  14  is normal or not, and can immediately know the abnormal status when the transmission interface  11 , the index input device  12 , the vibrator  13  or the power supply device  14  failed. Therefore, the invention greatly extends the service life of the game control device  1 .  
      (2) The display  1  can alternatively display the device pictures of the transmission interface  11 , the index input device  12 , the vibrator  13  and the power supply device  14 . This design eliminates the problem of dividing the display picture into several display blocks.  
      Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.