Patent ID: 8777747

Claim:
A music based video game system comprising: a video game controller for playing drums, including sensors configured to detect a strike of a drum and to provide an analog signal indicative of the strike; analog to digital circuitry (ADC) coupled to the sensors, the ADC configured to convert the analog signals into multi-bit digital signals; a processor configured to: receive an input indicative of a song to play; command display of instructions for user operation of the video game controller; receive the multi-bit digital signals; and command generation of audio based on the multi-bit digital signals, the audio dependent on user compliance with the instructions for user operation; wherein the video game controller includes at least one drum comprising: a drum pad configured to receive a strike, the drum pad comprising a top layer comprising rubber; and a piezo sensor in physical communication with the top layer, the piezo sensor configured to generate the analog signal indicative of the strike, the piezo sensor comprising a sheet of piezoelectric material having at least two electrodes, where each electrode is coupled to a wire; wherein the drum pad further comprises a layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top layer of the drum pad abuts the top surface and the piezo sensor abuts the bottom surface; and at least one spring-like support coupled to the bottom of the ABS layer, wherein the at least one spring-like support is configured to resist compression of the support.