Device for controlling a video game

Abstract

The object of the present invention is a device for controlling a video game, designed to be placed on a user's finger, comprising: - a housing (1) shaped to allow placement of a user's finger, wherein the housing (1) has an inner surface (2) and an outer surface (3); - a processor; - a power supply circuit; - a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit data from the device for controlling the video game; - at least one force sensor (6) configured to be activated under pressure to transmit a signal indicating that the force sensor has been pressed via the wireless communication circuit. The device is characterized in that the force sensor (6) is located in a portion of the housing (1) below the fingertip when placed on the user's finger, wherein the lower portion of the housing (1) below the fingertip when placed on the user's finger is configured to engage with a touchscreen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The object of this invention is a device for controlling video games, designed to be placed on a user's finger. This device is related to a touchscreen display. Background Technology

[0002] In the existing technology, there are many known wearable devices for monitoring the position of a user's hand or fingers. Many of them are based on the recognition of gestures used to control computer programs or VR environments. As a result, commands may be more intuitive and do not require learning the rules for controlling complex input systems.

[0003] An example of such a device is disclosed in document WO2019165139. This invention discloses a wearable device that can determine the position and gestures of a user's hand and fingers based on joint flexion using only a magnetic field. The device is able to display the outline of the hand on a screen, while the tracking of the device's position relative to the screen has not been disclosed. The method for locating elements equipped with magnetic sensors can also be found useful in tablet computer technology.

[0004] Another document, WO2019005586, discloses a device that can be worn on one of the fingers. It features optical, accelerometer, and force sensors, and can wirelessly connect to other devices. The device can track finger movements in a VR environment. This publication does not disclose any use of the invention in relation to touchscreens or determining the position of the finger before touching a screen.

[0005] Another example of a device for determining the position of a user's hand is disclosed in US Patent 10642356. This invention discloses a device in the form of a flexible material, including an accelerometer and a gyroscope. It is designed to determine the position and movement of the hand in space in order to transfer them into a VR environment. The method of monitoring the user's movement involves tracking the relative movement of at least two fingers by means of the device. No tracking of movement relative to an external device, such as a touchscreen, is disclosed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of this invention is a device for controlling video games, designed to be placed on a user's finger, comprising:

[0007] - A housing shaped to allow placement of a user's fingers, wherein the housing has an inner surface and an outer surface.

[0008] -processor,

[0009] -Power supply circuit,

[0010] - A wireless communication circuit configured to send data from a device used to control a video game.

[0011] - At least one force sensor is configured to activate under pressure and transmit a signal indicating that the force sensor has been pressed via a wireless communication circuit.

[0012] The device is characterized in that a force sensor is located in the portion of the housing below the fingertip when the housing is placed on the user's finger, wherein the lower portion of the housing below the fingertip when the housing is placed on the user's finger is configured to cooperate with a touchscreen.

[0013] Preferably, the processor, power supply unit, and wireless communication circuit are located inside the housing.

[0014] Preferably, the force sensor further includes a position sensor adapted to identify which point on the force sensor the user is pressing, and to transmit a signal about the identified pressure point from the device for controlling the video game via a wireless communication system.

[0015] Preferably, the device includes a motion sensor adapted to determine the position of a finger on the touchscreen and to measure the angle between the distal phalanx of the user's finger and the touchscreen.

[0016] Preferably, the device includes two or more force sensors.

[0017] Preferably, one or more components of the device are removable, and more preferably, all components of the device are removable.

[0018] Preferably, at least a portion of the lower part of the housing located below the user's fingertip when placed on the user's finger is configured to generate, transmit, replicate, or enable an electrostatic field to be detected by the capacitive touchscreen.

[0019] Preferably, at least a portion of the lower part of the housing located below the user's fingertip when placed on the user's finger comprises a conductive material.

[0020] Preferably, the lower part of the housing is divided into several conductive regions, such that each conductive region is separated from other conductive regions by non-conductive regions.

[0021] Preferably, the outer surface of the housing is made of a smooth material or coated with a low-friction coating.

[0022] Preferably, the housing is in the form of a fingertip cap, wherein the housing has an opening designed to receive the fingertip along with the nail.

[0023] Preferably, the housing includes a finger mounting element that is curved toward the center of the device and is configured to exert slight resistance on a finger inserted by a user when the finger is placed in the device.

[0024] Preferably, the inner surface of the housing is made of a material different from the rest of the housing, preferably rubber, silicone, foam or shape memory foam.

[0025] Preferably, the wireless communication circuit is configured to communicate via Bluetooth and / or Wi-Fi and / or Near Field Communication (NFC) and / or Li-Fi.

[0026] Advantages of the invention

[0027] The object of this invention is to provide a device for controlling video games that combines the precision of touchscreen control with additional controller functionality. The device, worn on the user's finger, enables standard interaction with the touchscreen and allows for additional actions during gameplay, without having to lift the finger off the screen or use separate buttons. The use of a force sensor under the fingertip, along with the ability to recognize various gestures and finger angles, increases the functionality and effectiveness of control in the game. Furthermore, the device's compact design and versatility allow for use with a variety of touchscreens, increasing its portability and versatility. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The invention will now be presented in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 An isometric front view of the device according to the invention is presented.

[0030] Figure 2 An isometric rear view of the device according to the invention is presented.

[0031] Figure 3 A side view of the device according to the invention is presented.

[0032] Figure 4 A bottom view of the device according to the invention is presented.

[0033] Figure 5 A rear view of the device according to the invention is presented.

[0034] Figure 6 A rear view of the device according to the invention is presented, in which the force sensor is indicated.

[0035] Figure 7 A side view of the device according to the invention is presented, in which the force sensor is indicated.

[0036] Figure 8 An isometric view of the device according to the invention is presented, in which the force sensor is indicated.

[0037] Figure 9 The device according to the invention is shown after it has been placed on the user's finger. Detailed Implementation

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device for controlling a video game, Figures 1 to 5 The image shows in detail a device designed for placement on a user's finger, particularly the fingertip, comprising a housing 1 shaped to accommodate the user's finger, having an inner surface 2 and an outer surface 3, a processor, a power supply circuit, and a wireless communication circuit. The device is specifically designed for placement on the thumb, but can be worn on any finger. The device also includes at least one force sensor 6, whose contours are... Figures 6 to 8 The diagram schematically illustrates that the force sensor 6 is configured such that, under pressure, it is activated by a wireless communication circuit to transmit a signal indicating that the force sensor 6 has been pressed, thereby applying an operation or sequence of operations assigned to the force sensor 6 being pressed, which translates to performing an assigned action in a game. The force sensor 6 is located within a portion of the housing 1, below the fingertip when placed on the user's finger. Preferably, the force sensor 6 is located between the inner surface 2 and the outer surface 3 of the device, and preferably in the form of a flat, flexible PCB. However, those skilled in the art will know that other available force sensors 6 can be used, such that they are located inside the housing 1 below the fingertip. Because of this, additional operations can be performed while playing the game without having to lift the finger from the screen or press another button with a finger other than the thumb. The device, when used by the user to play a video game, detects the pressure of the fingertip on the force sensor 6 and transmits a signal indicating that the user has pressed the force sensor 6 via a wireless communication circuit.

[0039] The lower portion of the housing 1 (located below the fingertip during use) is configured to engage with a touchscreen. In a preferred embodiment, a capacitive touchscreen is used, although other touchscreens known in the prior art may also be used. Thus, when the lower portion of the housing 1 contacts the touchscreen, the touchscreen and games can be controlled in the same manner as when a bare finger contacts the touchscreen.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the lower part of the housing 1, located below the user's fingertip when placed on the user's finger, is made of a material capable of generating, transmitting, replicating, or enabling the detection of an electrostatic field, preferably comprising a conductive material that enables cooperation with a capacitive touchscreen. The conductive material may be incorporated into the lower part of the housing 1 and may be made of a different material than the rest of the housing 1; for example, it may be in the form of a flat plate. The housing 1 may also be made of a uniformly conductive material, or a material may be used in which at least that portion of the lower part of the housing 1 (located below the user's fingertip in use) is made of a conductive material. Preferably, the lower part of the device is configured to transmit, replicate, or enable the detection of an electrostatic field by a capacitive touchscreen.

[0041] When playing video games, the two devices worn on the thumb are most commonly used, while the other two can be used on more fingers.

[0042] According to a preferred embodiment, the processor, power supply circuit, and wireless communication circuit are located inside the housing 1. Furthermore, one or more components of the device are removable, and preferably all of these components are removable. Because of this, components that wear out more quickly, such as the flexible material of the housing 1 including the force sensor 6, can be replaced without replacing electronic components with a much longer lifespan. Therefore, preferably, the main electronics in PCB form are assembled separately from the processor, power supply circuit, and wireless communication circuit, preferably in a separate container placed inside the housing 1. This also makes it possible to produce housings 1 of different sizes, suitable for accommodating fingers of different sizes—such as smaller fingers when the device is intended for use with children, or larger fingers when the device is intended for use with adult users. Additionally, different style versions of the housing 1 can be produced, and each type of housing 1 including the force sensor 6 can be sold separately from the other electronic components.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the power supply circuit is in the form of a battery, although those skilled in the art will know that other power supply circuits known in the prior art can be used.

[0044] According to another embodiment, the force sensor 6 further includes a position sensor adapted to identify the user's pressure point on the force sensor 6 and transmit a signal about the identified pressure point from a device for controlling a video game via a wireless communication system. In this way, the user's pressure point on the force sensor 6 can be determined, and additional buttons can be assigned to the force sensor 6 to perform additional game operations.

[0045] According to another embodiment, the force sensor 6 and the position sensor are two separate, unconnected sensors.

[0046] According to another embodiment of the invention, the device includes a motion sensor adapted to determine the position of a finger on a touchscreen and to measure the angle between the distal and proximal phalanges of the user's finger. The motion sensor may be a gyroscope, or a gyroscope with an accelerometer, or a gyroscope with both an accelerometer and a magnetometer; it may be a complete set of sensors constituting a motion sensor located at any point on the finger. When performing a tap / click, the finger performs a specific micro-motion. Data collected from the motion sensor allows this movement / gesture to be distinguished from normal touchscreen use and swiping on the screen. The tilt angle of the distal phalanx relative to the touchscreen allows for the identification of various types of operations, particularly in conjunction with information about the pressure sensor 6, especially, but not exclusively, when the motion sensor is placed on the distal phalanx. For example, action A is pressing with a flat finger placed parallel to the touchscreen, where the distal phalanx is straight. Action B is a finger bent at a 45-degree angle. Action C is a finger bent at a 90-degree angle to the touchscreen and pressing with the fingertip (the part of the fingertip directly below the nail).

[0047] In another embodiment of the invention, the lower portion of the housing 1 is divided into several conductive regions, such that each conductive region is separated by a non-conductive region. This enables the recognition of additional touch points via a touchscreen, allowing for improved navigation capabilities.

[0048] Preferably, the outer surface 3 of the housing 1, and especially its lower portion, is made of a smooth material or coated with a low coefficient of friction. Because of this, the device moves smoothly on the screen after being pressed against it, ensuring comfortable use. When the user wears the device according to the invention on his finger, he feels no difference in movement on the screen—he experiences the same level of comfort as when operating the screen with a bare finger.

[0049] According to another embodiment of the invention, the housing 1 is in the form of a fingertip cap having an opening 5 designed for placing the tip of a finger with a nail therein—for example, it could be an opening 5 in one place, directly located at the tip of the nail after being placed on the user's finger. The opening 5 can be a through hole, or it can be a non-through recess of the nail located on the inner surface 2 of the housing 1. Due to the use of the opening 5, the device can be easily adjusted to different finger shapes and lengths. Furthermore, it allows the device to be placed on fingers with long nails without any problems.

[0050] Preferably, the housing 1 includes a finger fitting element 4 configured to adapt to a finger, which, when not worn on a user's finger, bends inward into the device and connects laterally to the remainder of the housing 1 to apply slight resistance to a finger inserted by the user, such as... Figure 9 As you can see, Figure 9The device according to the invention is shown when fitted onto a user's finger. Thus, the finger adapter element 4 adapts to the fingertip of the user's finger each time, regardless of the length and curvature of the fingertip or how far the user wishes to insert the finger.

[0051] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the inner surface 2 of the housing 1, i.e., the portion of the housing 1 that contacts the user's finger after the device is placed on the finger, is made of a different material than the rest of the housing 1. It can be very soft rubber / silicone or foam, or even foam in the form of shape memory foam, so-called "memory foam." This solution (with proper design) allows for limiting the number of manufacturing sizes of the housing 1. Instead of producing one size for each finger, one can limit oneself to several sizes, such as S, M, and L.

[0052] Preferably, the wireless communication circuit is configured to communicate via Bluetooth and / or Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) and / or Near Field Communication (NFC) and / or Li-Fi (Light Fidelity).

[0053] Preferably, the device may further include a vibration motor.

[0054] Depending on the needs and application, two or more force sensors 6 can be used in the solution according to the invention. Force sensors 6 with two or more pressure points can also be used. This allows force sensors 6 to send signals indicating which force sensor 6 the user has pressed or which pressure point the user is pressing, thereby allowing for additional operations in video games.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a video game, designed to be placed on a user's finger, comprising: - A housing (1) shaped to allow placement of a user's fingers, wherein the housing (1) has an inner surface (2) and an outer surface (3). -processor, -Power supply circuit, - A wireless communication circuit configured to send data from a device used to control a video game. - At least one force sensor (6) is configured to activate under pressure and transmit a signal indicating that the force sensor (6) has been pressed via the wireless communication circuit. The force sensor (6) is characterized in that it is located in the portion of the housing (1) below the fingertip when the housing (1) is placed on the user's finger. The lower portion of the housing (1) below the fingertip is configured to engage with the touchscreen when placed on the user's finger.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processor, power supply unit and wireless communication circuit are located inside the housing (1).

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The force sensor (6) further includes a position sensor adapted to identify the pressure point that the user is pressing on the force sensor (6) and to transmit a signal about the identified pressure point from the device for controlling the video game via the wireless communication system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that, It includes a motion sensor adapted to determine the position of a finger on the touchscreen and to measure the angle between the distal phalanx of the user's finger and the touchscreen.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, characterized in that, It includes two or more force sensors (6).

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, One or more components of the device are removable, and preferably, all components of the device are removable.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, At least a portion of the lower part of the housing (1) located below the user's fingertip when placed on the user's finger is configured to generate, transmit, replicate, or enable an electrostatic field to be detected by the capacitive touchscreen.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, At least the lower portion of the housing (1) located below the user's fingertip when placed on the user's finger includes a conductive material.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The lower part of the housing (1) is divided into several conductive regions, such that each conductive region is separated from other conductive regions by non-conductive regions.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The outer surface (3) of the housing (1) is made of a smooth material or coated with a low-friction coating.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The housing (1) is in the form of a fingertip cap, wherein the housing (1) has an opening (5) designed to receive the fingertip along with the nail.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The housing (1) includes a finger mounting element (4) which is bent toward the center of the device and is configured to exert slight resistance on a finger inserted by the user when the finger is placed in the device.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The inner surface (2) of the housing (1) is made of a material different from the rest of the housing (1), preferably rubber, silicone, foam or shape memory foam.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, The wireless communication circuit is configured to communicate via Bluetooth and / or Wi-Fi and / or Near Field Communication (NFC) and / or Li-Fi.

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