Patent Abstract:
Systems and methods for associating a device to a peripheral that is communicating to a game console or computing device. The peripheral is initially bound to a port of the game console or computing device. The device binds to the game console or computing device via an automatic or user-initiated sequence and then correlated to the port assigned to the peripheral. Data that is associated with the peripheral is communicated to the device after being correlated. The device and peripheral may also be associated based on a user profile. When the user signs-in to the game console or computing device, the device is associated to the peripheral via a peripheral identifier and configuration information in the profile.

Full Description:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE/PERMISSION  
       [0001]     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and data as described below and in the drawings hereto: Copyright® 2005, Microsoft Corporation, All Rights Reserved.  
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     This invention generally relates to the field of computing and gaming devices. The present invention is directed to associating peripheral devices that communicate to a console, controller or other computing device.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Online gaming has become a large part of the gaming experience. Initially, players could communicate via text, however texting during game play is difficult. Later, games allowed players to connect to each other or a centralized server to facilitate cooperation using audio-only devices, such as headsets. Now, many gamers use specially designed headsets for these purposes. Conventional headsets connect to the gaming consoles using, e.g., a headset or microphone jack or USB connector. Because of the wired connection to the controller or console, it is relatively easy to correlate the sounds to the particular gamer&#39;s play.  
         [0004]     Gamers also enjoy using wireless controllers, which provide players with freedom of movement by wirelessly connecting the controller to the gaming console. Typically, the wireless controllers provide features such as vibration feedback, mini-joysticks, D-pad, pressure-sensitive buttons, etc. that players would find on wired controllers. In addition, the systems that connect wireless controllers to gaming consoles often allow multiple players to play at once on the console.  
         [0005]     Conventionally, associating headset audio with game controllers is performed by plugging-in the wired headset to a jack in the wired or wireless controller. However, when the headset is wireless, due to the nature of wireless devices, there is no physical mechanism to associate the headset to a particular gamer&#39;s play or controller. However, due to nature of wireless devices, there is no physical mechanism to associate a wireless headset to a particular gamer&#39;s play or controller.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     Systems and methods for associating a device to a peripheral that is communicating to a game console or computing device are disclosed herein. The peripheral is initially bound to a port of the game console or computing device. The peripheral binds to the game console or computing device via an automatic or user-initiated sequence and then correlated to the port assigned to the peripheral. Data that is associated with the peripheral is communicated to the device after being correlated. The game console (or computing device) and peripheral may also be associated based on a user profile.  
         [0007]     A non-limiting example of the above is a wireless headset that is used by garners during game play. The headset may be associated with the gamer&#39;s controller such that game-related audio associated with the gamer&#39;s play is sent from the game console to headset. The gamer may also communicate with other garners using the headset.  
         [0008]     Additional features and advantages will be made apparent from the following detailed description that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings exemplary constructions of the invention; however, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. In the drawings:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a gaming console in which aspects of the present invention may be implemented;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates a controller and LED indicators;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates one or more controllers/peripherals being bound and discovered by the console;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of a wireless device;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates exemplary processes performed to associate the wireless device with a peripheral;  
         [0015]      FIGS. 6-9  illustrate exemplary wireless device designs; and  
         [0016]      FIGS. 10-11  illustrate alternative processes performed to associate the wireless device with a peripheral. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates the functional components of a multimedia/gaming console  100  in which certain aspects of the present invention may be implemented. The multimedia console  100  has a central processing unit (CPU)  101  having a level  1  cache  102 , a level  2  cache  104 , and a flash ROM (Read Only Memory)  106 . The level  1  cache  102  and a level  2  cache  104  temporarily store data and hence reduce the number of memory access cycles, thereby improving processing speed and throughput. The CPU  101  may be provided having more than one core, and thus, additional level  1  and level  2  caches  102  and  104 . The flash ROM  106  may store executable code that is loaded during an initial phase of a boot process when the multimedia console  100  is powered ON.  
         [0018]     A graphics processing unit (GPU)  108  and a video encoder/video codec (coder/decoder)  114  form a video processing pipeline for high speed and high resolution graphics processing. Data is carried from the graphics processing unit  108  to the video encoder/video codec  114  via a bus. The video processing pipeline outputs data to an A/V (audio/video) port  140  for transmission to a television or other display. A memory controller  110  is connected to the GPU  108  to facilitate processor access to various types of memory  112 , such as, but not limited to, a RAM (Random Access Memory).  
         [0019]     The multimedia console  100  includes an I/O controller  120 , a system management controller  122 , an audio processing unit  123 , a network interface controller  124 , a first USB host controller  126 , a second USB controller  128  and a front panel I/O subassembly  130  that are preferably implemented on a module  118 . The USB controllers  126  and  128  serve as hosts for peripheral controllers  142 ( 1 )- 142 ( 2 ), a wireless adapter  148 , and an external memory device  146  (e.g., flash memory, external CD/DVD ROM drive, removable media, etc.). It is noted that additional USB controllers may be provided. The network interface  124  and/or wireless adapter  148  provide access to a network (e.g., the Internet, home network, etc.) and may be any of a wide variety of various wired or wireless adapter components including an Ethernet card, a modem, a Bluetooth module, a cable modem, and the like.  
         [0020]     System memory  143  is provided to store application data that is loaded during the boot process. A media drive  144  is provided and may comprise a DVD/CD drive, hard drive, or other removable media drive, etc. The media drive  144  may be internal or external to the multimedia console  100 . Application data may be accessed via the media drive  144  for execution, playback, etc. by the multimedia console  100 . The media drive  144  is connected to the I/O controller  120  via a bus, such as a Serial ATA bus or other high speed connection (e.g., IEEE 1394).  
         [0021]     The system management controller  122  provides a variety of service functions related to assuring availability of the multimedia console  100 . The audio processing unit  123  and an audio codec  132  form a corresponding audio processing pipeline with high fidelity and stereo processing. Audio data is carried between the audio processing unit  123  and the audio codec  132  via a communication link. The audio processing pipeline outputs data to the A/V port  140  for reproduction by an external audio player or device having audio capabilities.  
         [0022]     The front panel I/O subassembly  130  supports the functionality of the power button  150  and the eject button  152 , as well as any LEDs (light emitting diodes) or other indicators exposed on the outer surface of the multimedia console  100 . A system power supply module  136  provides power to the components of the multimedia console  100 . A fan  138  cools the circuitry within the multimedia console  100 .  
         [0023]     The CPU  101 , GPU  108 , memory controller  110 , and various other components within the multimedia console  100  are interconnected via one or more buses, including serial and parallel buses, a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures can include a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus, PCI-Express bus, etc.  
         [0024]     When the multimedia console  100  is powered ON, application data may be loaded from the system memory  143  into memory  112  and/or caches  102 ,  104  and executed on the CPU  101 . The application may present a graphical user interface that provides a consistent user experience when navigating to different media types available on the multimedia console  100 . In operation, applications and/or other media contained within the media drive  144  may be launched or played from the media drive  144  to provide additional functionalities to the multimedia console  100 .  
         [0025]     The multimedia console  100  may be operated as a standalone system by simply connecting the system to a television or other display. In this standalone mode, the multimedia console  100  allows one or more users to interact with the system, watch movies, or listen to music. However, with the integration of broadband connectivity made available through the network interface  124  or the wireless adapter  148 , the multimedia console  100  may further be operated as a participant in a larger network community.  
         [0026]     When the multimedia console  100  is powered ON, a set amount of hardware resources are reserved for system use by the multimedia console operating system. These resources may include a reservation of memory (e.g., 16 MB), CPU and GPU cycles (e.g., 5%), networking bandwidth (e.g., 8 kbs), etc. Because these resources are reserved at system boot time, the reserved resources do not exist from the application&#39;s view.  
         [0027]     In particular, the memory reservation preferably is large enough to contain the launch kernel, concurrent system applications and drivers. The CPU reservation is preferably constant such that if the reserved CPU usage is not used by the system applications, an idle thread will consume any unused cycles.  
         [0028]     With regard to the GPU reservation, lightweight messages generated by system applications (e.g., popups) are displayed by using a GPU interrupt to schedule code to render popup into an overlay. The amount of memory required for an overlay depends on the overlay area size and the overlay preferably scales with screen resolution. Where a full user interface is used by the concurrent system application, it is preferable to use a resolution independent of application resolution. A scaler may be used to set this resolution such that the need to change frequency and cause a TV resynch is eliminated.  
         [0029]     After the multimedia console  100  boots and system resources are reserved, concurrent system applications execute to provide system functionalities. The system functionalities are encapsulated in a set of system applications that execute within the reserved system resources described above. The operating system kernel identifies threads that are system application threads versus gaming application threads. The system applications are preferably scheduled to run on the CPU  101  at predetermined times and intervals in order to provide a consistent system resource view to the application. The scheduling is to minimize cache disruption for the gaming application running on the console.  
         [0030]     When a concurrent system application requires audio, audio processing is scheduled asynchronously to the gaming application due to time sensitivity. A multimedia console application manager (described below) controls the gaming application audio level (e.g., mute, attenuate) when system applications are active.  
         [0031]     Input devices (e.g., controllers  142 ( 1 ) and  142 ( 2 )) are shared by gaming applications and system applications. The input devices are not reserved resources, but are to be switched between system applications and the gaming application such that each will have a focus of the device. The application manager preferably controls the switching of input stream, without the gaming application&#39;s knowledge, and a driver maintains state information regarding focus switches.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is illustrated an exemplary wireless controller  154  having a four quadrant LED indicator  156  (and enlarged view) and console  100  having a four quadrant indicator  158 . The controller  154  also includes vibration feedback, mini-joysticks, pressure-sensitive buttons, etc. A game is shown on the screen  160 . The console indicator  158  is shown surrounding a power button, however, other configurations may be implemented. Each quadrant of the ring may be illuminated by an LED, which may be either a single color or bi-colored to illuminate in plural colors. As will be described below, the quadrants may be illuminated in patterns indicating the notifications, system status, binding and discovery.  
         [0033]     To support an environment where multiple consoles  100  and wireless controllers  154  may coexist, each controller is logically “bound” to a single console  100  so that a link is established with only that console  100 . A controller  154  can not be bound to more than one console  100  at a time. Binding is the process by which a console  100  transmits information to a controller  154  that will enable that controller to establish a link with the console  100 . Once “bound” to a console  100 , the controller  154  attempts to establish a link with the console  100  to which it is bound whenever the controller  154  is turned on.  
         [0034]     It is preferable that binding information is retained only in the controller. Binding is one to one with respect to the controller  154 , but it is one to many with respect to the console  100 . Binding, thus, persists on the controller  154  across battery discharge/charge cycles, until a new binding relationship is established. Establishing a binding relationship is attempted when a BIND button on the console and a BIND button on a wireless controller  154  are pressed within a predetermined period of time of each other. Successfully establishing a binding relationship is dependent on successfully establishing a radio communication link and executing a mutual verification algorithm.  
         [0035]     The console is preferably powered up before pressing its BIND button. If a user initiates binding on a controller  154  that is currently connected to a console  100 , the controller  154  drops the connection to the console  100  prior to attempting the binding process. As the binding process operates, a status notification screen may display binding and discovery process (e.g., binding . . . bound . . . discovered). Binding is a one to one event. In other words, pressing the binding button on the console  100  will bind one controller  154  at a time. To bind a second controller  154 , the BIND button on the console  100  is pressed a second time. If binding is not successful within a predetermined time, the console  100  or controller  154  will automatically time out and return to a previous state such that the previous binding relationship is not lost.  
         [0036]     There are four (or other) virtual controller ports on the console  100 , referred to herein as “Vports.” The Vports represent the active game controllers connected to the console  100 , either wired or wirelessly. The numbered Vports are automatically assigned to controllers in the order they are connected to the console  100 . Each Vport is represented by a quadrant of the LED indicator  156  and the console indicator  158 . “Discovery” is the process during which a wired or wireless game device is recognized by the console  100 , assigned a Vport, and made available for game play.  
         [0037]     Thus, the acts of “binding” and “discovery” are preferably two different acts. The act of binding is initiated by pressing the BIND buttons on the controller and console. Once bound, the controller will begin the discovery process, and if successful, will be assigned the first available Vport, which in this case is Vport  1  as described. If one to three controllers had previously been bound and discovered, then the next controller discovered would be assigned Vport  2 ,  3 ,  4 , etc., respectively. If, a total number controllers equaling the total number of Vports were already discovered, then the binding process could still be performed, however no Vport would be available to assign, so the controller would not be assigned a Vport. However it would still be bound to the console and available to be discovered if one of the other controllers were either turned off or bound to a new console.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIG. 3  there is a visualization of the binding and discovery processes and how the LED indicator  156  and the console indicator  158  visually convey the processes to players. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the controller has been powered on and the BIND button on the console  100  and the controller have been pressed. After the binding process has completed, the discovery process takes place. Because this is the first controller to be discovered by the console  100 , it is associated with Vport  1  and the top left quadrant of the indicators  156  and  158  will illuminate to signal the connection. If more than one controller is discovered by the console  100 , the other quadrants of indicator  158  are illuminated in succession. Thus, if two controllers are connected, two quadrants of the indicator  158  will illuminate, and so on up to four controllers and four quadrants. It is noted that while additional quadrants are successively illuminated on the console, only a single quadrant is illuminated on any single controller at a time except in error conditions or other status displayed to the user.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated a block diagram of an exemplary wireless device (e.g., headset)  200 . The headset  200  may include an electronics module  202  that houses a radio  203 , a microcontroller (MCU)/digital signal processor (DSP), Voice CODEC  204 , an I/O device  205 , a digital to analog converter (DAC)  208 , an analog to digital to converter (ADC)  210 , a power supply  212 , an input device  214 , and visual indicator  216 . The components within the electronics module  203  connect to a speaker  216  and a microphone  218 .  
         [0040]     The radio  203  may be a Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) radio operating at the 2.4 GHz frequency band that communicates data (e.g., audio, configuration, etc.) to the console  100 . The MCU/DSP/CODEC  204  processes audio communication to and from the headset  200 . Output audio is communicated via the DAC  208  to the speaker  216 . Input audio is received by the microphone  218  and converted by the ADC  210  to digital information and passed to the MCU/DSP/CODEC  204  to the radio  203  for communication to the console  100 .  
         [0041]     The input device  214 , which will be described in greater detail below with reference to  FIGS. 6-9 , is used to associate the headset  200  with a particular Vport. The visual indicator  206  provides a user with an indication or confirmation of the associated Vport. As will be described below, the audio related to user&#39;s game play is communicated to/from the headset  200  based on an association of the headset  200  to a Vport assigned to the user&#39;s controller  154  or other discovered peripheral.  
         [0042]     As noted above, the wireless headset  200  communicates directly to the console  100 , rather than the controller  154 . As such, the headset performs a binding/discovery similar to the controller  154 . To accomplish this, the wireless headset  200  is associated with console and assigned a Vport. There are separate Vports for controller and voice device ports.  
         [0043]      FIG. 5  illustrates the process of binding and discovery for a wireless headset  200 . At step  220 , a user connects (binds) to the console by, e.g., pressing a button on the console  100 , wireless controller  154  or headset  200  (via input device  214 ). Preferably, the headset  200  and/or the console  100  is powered-up after the bind button is pressed, which advantageously reduces RF emissions. However, in the case of the headset  200 , the user may first power up the headset  200  or the act of pressing the button may power up the headset  200 . Optionally, step  220  may be accomplished by bringing the headset  200  into communication range of the console  100 . At step  222 , the console  100  initiates and completes bind process with the headset  200 . At step  224 , it is determined if there is one active controller  154 . If so, then at step  226 , the headset  222  is assigned the same Vport as the active controller  154 .  
         [0044]     The user is then notified of the success of the association at step  228 . The notification may be audible or visual. An audible confirmation of Vport assignment may be made by sending a sending a chime or tone to the headset. Personalized settings may be ignored/overridden in order to ensure the chime or tone is played on the headset. Visual notification may be made by a flashing LED (or other visual indicator  206 ) on the headset. If a single LED is provided on the headset, it may be flashed at a predetermined rate. If several LEDs are provided, an LED pattern may be flashed. It is preferable in the later scenario that that pattern be the same as the associated controller  154 . Further, an on-screen display notification may be used. If the association is unsuccessful, a different set of notifications may be used than for successful associations.  
         [0045]     However, if at step  224 , there is more than one active controller  154 , then the user is notified to selects a Vport to which the headset  200  is to be associated by the console  100 . This notification may be performed through a visual on-screen display, audibly or visually on the headset  200  via the indicator  206 . Referring now to  FIGS. 6-9 , the user selection of a Vport may be accomplished through an input device  214  such as a dial or jog shuttle ( FIG. 6 ), slider ( FIG. 7 ), button ( FIG. 8 ) or toggle switch ( FIG. 9 ). One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other mechanical input devices may be provided to make a selection of the Vport.  
         [0046]     The visual indicator  206  may include LEDs, a seven segment display, etc. to convey to the user which Vport is selected on the headset  200 . The use of the input device aids in resolving/avoiding conflicts between multiple headsets and a particular controller  154 . Further, if multiple headsets are set to the same Vport, it is preferable that the first one to be discovered is assigned to the Vport. At step  232  the headset  200  is discovered and associated by the console  100  to the selected Vport. A notification of the successful association is provided at step  234 . The notification may be similar to that noted above.  
         [0047]     Alternatively, the process may be performed using an on-screen display. This may be desirable because the user may find using the on-screen display more familiar and convenient for configuring devices as the on-screen display is used to configure many options for game play. Referring now to  FIG. 10 , the on-screen process may begin when the user powers-up the wireless headset (step  240 ). Next, a button is pressed on the controller and the user navigates to an Options screen (steps  242  and  244 ). A “Find wireless headset” option may be presented, and if selected, the console initiates a bind process with headset (step  246 ). An on-screen display is presented indicated to the user to press a bind button on the headset (step  248 ). The user presses the headset&#39;s bind button and the console completes the bind process to associate the headset with controller. The headset may then notify the user of a successful bind and association (step  250 ).  
         [0048]     As another alternative, the user may power-up the wireless headset and presses the headset&#39;s bind button (steps  240  and  242 ). These two steps may be accomplished by a single press of a power button. The user presses a button on the controller and navigates to an Options screen (step  244 ). Next the user selects an “Assign wireless headset” button from the Options screen (step  252 ). The console initiates bind process with headset and associates headset to the Vport of the controller that initiated the process. The headset and/or on-screen display notify the user of a successful bind and association (step  250 ).  
         [0049]     The above processes may be repeated for every user that wants to associate a wireless headset with their controller.  
         [0050]     Thus, as described above, the console  100  manages the association of headsets to controllers. Headsets are bound to consoles, which allows the management of headsets and other peripherals to evolve over time as the console  100  can be upgraded with new features with relative ease. In addition, it is preferable that a one-to-one association is made between headsets and controllers.  
         [0051]     In addition to the binding/discover notifications, a user may be notified if the Vport assignment is lost and/or re-associated. For example, the controller  100  association preferably should be persisted between power/sleep cycles of the console  100 . However, the wireless controller discovery process may reassign Vports after a power cycle. This means a controller  154  associated with Vport 3  before the power cycle may be associated with Vport 1  after. The headset  200  will follow the controller  154  to Vport 1 .  
         [0052]     The headset  200  originally associated with the controller  154  should follow the controller  154  to its newly assigned Vport. This may be accomplished through some headset identifier or preferably to a gamer profile used to associate a headset  200  to a controller  154 . In later instance, when a gamer signs-in, the profile determines which headset  200  should be associated to the controller  154  via a unique identifier of the headset  200  associated with the gamer profile. The controller  154  is automatically assigned to a Vport at time of discovery and the headset  200  is then associated to that Vport, as noted above.  
         [0053]     It is possible that a user may wish to use a wired headset during game play. When a wired headset is inserted to the headset jack on a controller, the wireless headset association will be dropped in favor of the wired headset. This is because it is assumed that the wired headset is being used because of a user preference and an accidental insertion of a wired headset is unlikely.  
         [0054]     In addition to a control to select a Vport, the headset may include controls for power on/off, microphone mute, volume up/down, connect to console, etc. Indicators may be provided for battery level (e.g., LEDs or audible alert), headset ON, etc. A buzzer or other audible mechanism may be provided to locate a missing headset  200 .  
         [0055]     While the processes above have been described with reference to a wireless controller, it is noted they may equally apply to a wired controller to which a wireless headset is to be associated.  
         [0056]     While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various Figs., it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0