A function key module for a game controller

Abstract

This invention proposes a function key module for a game controller, comprising a button shell, a lens assembly, a hollow sealing plate, a circuit board, a ribbon cable, and a bottom shell. The ribbon cable is fixedly connected to the bottom shell, and the circuit board is electrically connected to the ribbon cable. The hollow sealing plate is positioned above the circuit board, and the lens assembly is positioned above the hollow sealing plate. The button shell is fixedly connected to the bottom shell. The circuit board includes an OFN module, an infrared LED light source module, and a photosensitive array module, which are electrically connected. Because the module is very small, it can be directly integrated into the buttons of existing game controllers to achieve directional operation and complete many functional upgrades of existing game controllers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of controller technology, and more particularly to a function key module for a game controller. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, mobile games have developed rapidly. However, the use of touchscreens in mobile games has certain limitations, unlike the controls of traditional game consoles. Therefore, the demand for using game controllers to control mobile games has emerged. However, the button design of traditional game controllers conflicts with the flexibility of touchscreen controls. Game controllers on the market have advantages that touchscreens do not have due to the physical feedback of buttons, but they are inherently lacking in the flexibility of touchscreen controls. To make up for this problem, some manufacturers use buttons and mechanical wheels to simulate the directional operation requirements of touchscreens. However, this method has a complex structure, and the game controller shell needs to be redesigned with a complex structure. Moreover, the different construction affects the traditional button feel of the game controller (pressure sensitivity and button spacing), which in turn creates other problems such as manufacturing cost, user experience, and product quality stability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes a function key module for a game controller.

[0004] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0005] This invention proposes a function key module for a game controller. The function key module includes a button shell, a lens assembly, a hollow sealing plate, a circuit board, a ribbon cable, and a bottom shell. The ribbon cable is fixedly connected to the bottom shell, and the circuit board is electrically connected to the ribbon cable. The hollow sealing plate is disposed above the circuit board, and the lens assembly is disposed above the hollow sealing plate. The button shell is fixedly connected to the bottom shell. The circuit board is provided with an OFN module, an infrared LED light source module, and a photosensitive array module, and the OFN module, the infrared LED light source module, and the photosensitive array module are electrically connected.

[0006] Furthermore, the button housing is provided with a light-shielding touch panel, which is disposed on the surface of the button housing.

[0007] Furthermore, the lens assembly includes a mounting plate and an optical lens module, with the optical lens module fixedly mounted on the mounting plate.

[0008] Furthermore, the OFN module is an optical finger navigation system that generates navigation signals in response to movement detected on the navigation surface based on light reflected from the user's finger.

[0009] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0010] The game controller function key module proposed in this invention, employing optical finger navigation, effectively solves this problem. By adding directional control to the game controller function keys, this optical finger navigation function key module offers highly integrated performance, low cost, and a compact size, making it a popular upgrade option for existing game controllers. By adhering to the specific characteristics of the game controller's functional components, following the development principles of various mobile game software systems and their operating platforms, and adapting to local conditions and specific situations, it can be seamlessly integrated into existing game controller application hardware and software systems and extended to new game controller products. The optical finger navigation module has excellent application prospects, driving profound changes and significant development in the human-computer input interface of game controller function keys. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the function key module of the game controller of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the function key module of the game controller of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the function key module of the game controller of the present invention from another angle. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To more clearly and completely illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 This invention proposes a function key module for a game controller. The function key module includes a button housing 1, a lens assembly 2, a hollow sealing plate 3, a circuit board 4, a ribbon cable 5, and a bottom shell 6. The ribbon cable 5 is fixedly connected to the bottom shell 6, and the circuit board 4 is electrically connected to the ribbon cable 5. The hollow sealing plate 3 is positioned above the circuit board 4, and the lens assembly 2 is positioned above the hollow sealing plate 3. The button housing 1 is fixedly connected to the bottom shell 6. The circuit board 4 includes an OFN module 10, an infrared LED light source module 11, and... The photosensitive array module 12 is electrically connected to the OFN module 10, the infrared LED light source module 11, and the photosensitive array module 12; the button housing 1 is provided with a light-shielding touch panel 7, which is disposed on the surface of the button housing 1; the lens assembly 2 is provided with a fixing plate 9 and an optical lens module 8, which is fixedly mounted on the fixing plate 9; the OFN module 10 is an optical finger navigation system that generates a navigation signal in response to movement detected at the navigation surface based on light reflected from the user's finger.

[0016] In this embodiment, the optical finger navigation OFN module 10 typically consists of an infrared LED light source module 11, a light-shielding touch panel 7, an optical lens module 8, and an on-chip processing / control chip with a photosensitive array module 12. It is generally fabricated on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board for easy integration. Common OFN FPCs also integrate surface buttons, also known as "metal dome switches," to simply implement a "click confirmation" function. The working principle of the OFN module 10 is as follows: When a finger touches the light-shielding touch panel 7, the photosensitive array module 10 detects target activity, wakes up the on-chip system SoC, and puts it into normal operation. The infrared LED light source module 11 emits light, activating the detection optical path. Through refraction and focusing by the optical lens module 8, the photosensitive array module 12 obtains image data information frame by frame. The SoC abstracts different motion vectors (MV) from this data, and then calculates the planar relative amount of each finger movement based on the temporal and spatial correlation of the motion vectors, forming motion data, which is then transmitted outwards through the data interface in a timely manner. After the finger is removed, the photosensitive array module 12 can detect this and put the SoC into sleep mode to save power. The light-shielding touch panel 7 needs to be able to cope with strong light radiation interference and the influence of external humidity changes. The judgment and calculation of motion correlation is the core of OFN, and it usually adopts the mature and simplified 13-point, 9-point, 7-point or 5-point motion prediction algorithms used in optical mice. Further analysis and calculation can be performed on the obtained series of data to obtain accompanying information such as "click", "double click", "drag", etc., thereby realizing various functions of traditional mice. The data information generated by OFN generally includes two categories: control information and motion information. Control information indicates whether there is movement, click, double click, drag, etc., while motion information is the relative displacement between the X and Y directions of the plane.

[0017] Of course, the present invention may have many other embodiments. Based on this embodiment, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without any creative effort are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A function key module of a gamepad, characterized in that, The function key module of the game handle is used for mobile game control, comprising a key shell, a lens assembly, a hollow sealing plate, a circuit board, a flat cable and a bottom shell, the flat cable is fixedly connected with the bottom shell, the circuit board is electrically connected with the flat cable, the hollow sealing plate is arranged above the circuit board, the lens assembly is arranged above the hollow sealing plate, the key shell is fixedly connected with the bottom shell and the surface of the key shell is provided with a light-shielding touch panel, so as to reduce the interference of strong light radiation, the circuit board is provided with an OFN module, an infrared LED light source module and a photosensitive array module, the OFN module, the infrared LED light source module and the photosensitive array module are electrically connected; the lens assembly comprises an optical lens module, the key shell is used for the user's finger to contact, so as to reflect the light emitted by the infrared LED light source module through the finger and focus the light to the photosensitive array module through the optical lens module; the OFN module is optical hand navigation, and a navigation signal is generated in response to the movement detected at the navigation surface based on the light reflected from the user's finger.

2. The functional key module of the gamepad according to claim 1, wherein, The lens assembly is provided with a fixing plate, and the optical lens module is fixedly installed on the fixing plate.

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